The son of the Yellow Flash
by Howard blake
Summary: Naruto finds one of his father's hideouts in the woods one day and learns of his heritage. He then starts to train himself to be able to surpass both of his parents and protect the village they loved. Of course, he has to deal with his two teammates as well as his lazy jonin sensei. On the bright side, he found someone who accepted him for who he was and cared for him deeply.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay this is just an idea I've been tinkering with. You know when Tobi attacked the village and Minato kept teleporting to several hideouts outside of the village? Well, what if Naruto found one? So yeah, this is my take on a much stronger and smarter Naruto. I haven't decided pairings yet. Maybe soon, though.**

* * *

To say that he wasn't the least bit tempted to start running into the great unknown in front of him and never look back was an understatement. The young boy stood in the forest just outside of the village's walls. He had found a secret passage way that he used to get away from yet another mob of villagers that wanted to beat him senseless. Normally the mobs of angry people wouldn't chase him until the evening when everyone was mostly drunk. Apparently, they just couldn't wait to get started.

Today was his birthday, October tenth. Usually when someone has a birthday, they should be happy right. It should be a joyous occasion with your family and friends. Maybe even share a slice of cake. At least that was how he saw other people celebrate it. For him, he dreaded this day more than any other because it was also the day when the great Kyuubi attacked the village.

The whispers and the looks that the people gave him started to circulate through his head.

"It's him."

"Don't get too close."

"Get lost brat!"

"Monster…"

For reasons he couldn't explain, it seemed that everyone in the village hated him. Well, with the exception of the Sandaime, Iruka-sensei and the two people who own the ramen shop where he frequently ate, they were the only people who saw him as a person. Everyone else either ignored him or avoided him. Even his peers in the academy ignored him. That was why he resorted to do pranks to get attention, whether it was good or bad. It didn't matter to him as long as he was acknowledged.

The nine year old Naruto sighed. He was really tempted to do it. Now was the time as good as any. He was outside the village with no one around to stop him. He could leave and never come back, try his luck out in the world. Why shouldn't he? Every person in the village hated him and wanted him gone anyway. This could be his only opportunity.

He took one step forward and eventually another. Was he really going to do this? He took another step forward. He should have at least said goodbye to the few people he actually cared about. He started walking at a brisk pace. He couldn't tell them that he was leaving or else they might try to stop him. No, it was better if they didn't know. He began to jog which later turned into a full sprint.

Naruto felt exhilarated. For the first time in his life he felt free. He would no longer be a prisoner of the village. He would no longer see the looks of pure loathing on the people's faces as he walked passed them. He kept running through the foliage of trees and not once did he look back.

* * *

By noon he slowed his pace to a walk. He should conserve his energy in case someone decided to chase him and bring him back. He knew that he was constantly monitored by the Hokage's Anbu. In some instances like this one however, he manage to shake them off. Naruto was confident that they know nothing of his current whereabouts. Still, they were elite ninjas so he should probably conserve some energy for a chase.

He put his hands behind his head and let his thoughts wander on what may lie ahead. Where would he go now? He had never actually allowed beyond the village walls and there was little he knew about the geography of the land. He knew that there were other ninja villages aside from his own like Suna, Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri but he didn't exactly know which direction they were in.

Naruto just shrugged. If he kept walking forward he was bound to end up somewhere and boy was he right.

Naruto came to a stop when he spotted a small structure of a small house. Not exactly a shack but not a hut either. Curious, he decided to check it out.

"Hello?"

He twisted the knob and the door swung open inward. He stepped inside the dimly lit room. He found a small light switch and flipped it on.

"Hello?" He tried again.

A fine layer of dust covered most of the room. Naruto could see that this place must have been used for long stake outs. A small mattress was on the floor on the left side. A door to a small restroom in front of him was slightly ajar. There were chests gathered on one side of the room and stacks of scrolls on a shelf. What intrigued Naruto the most was the tri-pronged kunai with seals on the handle hanging on a cord at the corner of the room.

He walked over to it and continued to stare at the strange weapon. He had never seen such a kunai. He had no knowledge of any ninja n the village using something like this. They all used the similar stock of kunai and shuriken even at the academy for target practice.

Naruto walked over to the small closet next to him and opened it. It was empty save for a long white cloak with red flame designs along the bottom. He took it out and read the writings that ran vertically down the back. He nearly passed out when he finished. This was the cloak of the Fourth Hokage.

No way, he thought as he suddenly realized that this place must belong to his idol and hero.

Putting the cloak back inside, he crossed over to a chest and pushed it open. He looked through the different antique books when he found something interesting. Flipping open a certain book, he realized that it was a photo album.

On one page, a picture of a young blonde boy and two other kids standing next to a tall white haired man for a photo. Naruto recognized the blonde boy instantly. He should know because he sat on his giant stone head every morning. There was no doubt in his mind that the blonde in the picture was the Fourth Hokage.

The next photo was a group shot of the graduating academy students. Naruto didn't recognize most of the kids in the picture except for the parents of some of his classmates. There was Choji's father, the chubby boy grinning into the camera. Shikamaru was the spitting image of his father. He finally spotted the fourth. The blonde boy was grinning from ear to ear. Standing next to him was a cute redheaded girl who was just as happy.

Naruto frowned at that because there was something eerily familiar about the redhead.

He flipped to the next page to find the fourth and the redheaded girl eating at his favorite ramen stand. They looked a year older in this picture. Naruto kept flipping to the next page until he saw a wedding photo of the two. They both wore identical grins of happiness and they looked at each other with so much love that no one could possibly doubt their feelings for each other.

The last photo was the couple sitting on a simple couch. The redheaded woman had a swollen belly and the fourth was pressing his head lightly on the woman's swollen womb. They were both smiling serenely as they listened to the unborn baby in the mother's body.

There was a description below the last photo, written in neat penmanship.

_It's September 25 and my beloved wife is due to give birth any day now. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. I'm finally going to become a father. I can tell Kushina is just as excited as I am. I can feel my child's kicks inside of wife's womb. Jiraiya –sensei came by today. He was ecstatic when he heard the news that he was going to become godfather. We've thought of the perfect name for our soon to be baby boy. His name is…_

Naruto dropped the album in shock. He must have read that last part wrong. It couldn't be true, could it?

…_Naruto_

The truth hit him like a ton of bricks and he fell on the floor. There was no denying it. How could he? The facts were right here. His spiky blonde hair and bright blue eyes were just as prominent as the fourth's. His facial features were mostly from his mother. The way she smiled and looked.

Naruto was so stunned that he couldn't move. He was the son of the Fourth Hokage!

Still something didn't add up. He needed answers. There was only one man who he could turn to about this. His plan of running away was pushed aside as he sped back toward the village.

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed as he finished the stack of paperwork on his desk. He was getting too old for this.

There came a knock on the door of his office and his assistant poked her head inside.

"You have a visitor, Hokage-sama." She said. She pushed the door open to reveal a slightly out of breath Naruto. She ushered him inside and shut the door behind her.

"What brings you here, Naruto-kun?" He greeted. The boy looked nervous as he took a seat and stared hard at the floor.

"Umm, I want to talk to you about something jiji." Naruto said.

"Go ahead." The boy was more fidgety than normal.

"Can we do it without you bodyguards?" Naruto asked.

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at this. He signaled his Anbu to leave. "Alright we are alone. Now what do you wish to speak about?"

Naruto hesitated a bit before he answered. "I know who my father is."

The Sandaime was so shocked that he nearly dropped his pipe.

"Oh? And who do you think it is?" Hiruzen hoped that the boy cannot see through his bluff.

Naruto scowled at the old man. "It's pretty obvious jiji."

Naruto pointed to a wall where the pictures of the previous hokages were framed. The unnerving blue eyes of Minato Namikaze stared back at the two occupants in the room.

Hiruzen sighed. He was bound to find out sooner or later. The boy was resourceful after all. A trait he admired for one so young. But something bothered him.

"Naruto, how did you find out about this?" Hiruzen questioned.

The blonde boy responded immediately. "I found a picture of him in the archives. I know I don't usually go there often but I was hoping to learn some new jutsu when I stumbled on the files of the Yondaime."

It was a lie, Naruto knew. He felt bad about withholding the truth from the one person he actually cared about and respected. He just hoped that The Sandaime bought it. The reason he lied because he didn't want anyone to know about the hideout in the forest. He also couldn't tell them that he was outside of the village walls and the fact that he tried to run away

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. He could tell that Naruto was lying. He could see it in the boy's eyes, although he did not know why the boy would choose to start hiding secrets from him now. He never did in the past. Still, he decided to take it easy on the boy.

Hiruzen blew from his pipe. "I suppose that it is only fair that you know about your parents, but I must ask you to keep this to yourself. What I am about to reveal to you is not only information about your parents but also an S-rank secret that involves you and your parents' death."

Naruto nodded.

"Very well, I'll start eight years ago…"

* * *

Naruto lay awake in his apartment as he tried to grasp everything that was revealed to him by the Sandaime. It was a lot to take in and he was unable to sleep. Strangely enough, it was a relief to know the truth. No matter how horrifying it was. Now he knew why the villagers treat him as such. It wasn't because of him but what was inside of him.

His father, the Yondaime Hokage, had sealed the nine tails inside of his own son. He was assured that his father had his reasons for doing so. The Sandaime told him that Minato had discovered something that night when the Kyuubi attacked the village: Something dangerous. The Sandaime told him that his father wanted him to be seen as a hero. Look at how well that turned out.

His mother's full name was Uzumaki Kushina. She was an outstanding kunoichi with a very large temper. He had also found out that she was the previous jinchuuriki of the nine tails before him. The Sandaime explained to him what happened during child birth and how the seal was weakened during the process. Hiruzen had deduced that something went wrong during the labor and that was how the Kyuubi escaped.

Naruto could not help but let the tears fall as he was told that they died trying to shield him from the Kyuubi. They sacrificed themselves for him. All these years, he had never known the love of a parent. Now he knew that he was showered with undying love from his parents as they gave their own lives for him.

He looked out of the window and stared at the Hokage monument. His attention was focused on only one of the stone faces. From that moment on he vowed to make both of his parents proud. They gave their very lives to save his and everyone else in the village. No matter what, he would get stronger and protect the village they both hold dear. He will rise above their hatred and make them acknowledge him. Not as the Kyuubi, but as the son of two heroes!

He grinned up at the stone face of his father. He hoped that both of his parents were listening.

"I'll make you both proud. I promise."

* * *

For the whole month, Naruto decided to visit his father's hideout everyday. He would sneak out of the village and go through the different chests and scrolls he found. Unbeknownst to him was that the Sandaime was always watching through his crystal ball.

Naruto started to read and study the different scrolls and books in the hideout of his father. They were mostly about fuinjutsu, the ninja art of sealing, but there were some that were about ninjutsu and taijutsu. Also there were books about history, tactics, geography, politics, and philosophy. There were also a few journals written by his father. One of them was about the ideals, rules, and characteristics of a true shinobi.

He also did some physical training. He got the regime from one of his father's journals. Not only that but he began to practice the basics of chakra control. It took him a week to complete the tree climbing exercise and another to walk on water. Luckily there was a small lake nearby where he could practice.

It turns out that fuinjutsu was one of the most complex and difficult art to learn. Even so, Naruto was determined to master it. He was still on the basics, such as storage scrolls and exploding tags. His father had left a ton of scrolls and books on the sealing arts. He practiced as much as he could.

As for taijutsu, he trained with the basics and tried to make his own style. He read in one of Minato's journals that the best way to fight against an experienced taijutsu specialist was to come up with a unique and unpredictable style only known to the user. Naruto read about the different styles of combat as well like the Hyuuga clan's gentle fist. He was still far from creating his own taijutsu techniques.

His genjutsu was virtually nonexistent. Instead he tries to focus on detecting and dispelling illusions. On some days, he meditates to try and enhance his sensory skills.

Today was target practice day. He had set up several targets around the forest. His goal was to learn not only how to hit the target, but to get the same amount of accuracy while moving at high speeds. After all, an enemy was not going to just stand there and be your practice dummy. He would be moving to retaliate so in order to counter you have to be on the move as well.

Naruto drew a deep breath as he gripped the shurikens in between his fingers. Naruto tensed for a moment before launching into action.

He threw two shurikens simultaneously as he leaped toward a nearby tree and stuck to the vertical surface. He threw two more just as the first pair found their mark. The moment the projectiles left his hand he leaped to a different tree and launched the last two. Naruto back flipped away from the tree and landed on the ground into a crouch.

He took out two of his kunai and threw one into the bushes where he made a trap for himself. As soon as the kunai cut the wire, a volley of shuriken rained down on him. He managed to deflect them all using his remaining kunai.

When it was over, he calmly placed the knife back into its holster and inspected his handiwork.

He mentally patted himself on the back for nailing all of the targets. He set about to collecting the scattered weapons and placed them in a storage scroll. He rolled up the scroll and placed it back in his pouch.

The sun was beginning to set. That was the indication that he needed to head back to the village. He would be taking a break from training tomorrow because his absence in the village was becoming noticed by the villagers. Also, non-stop training and exercise was bad for the body.

He sighed as he began to dash through the trees, heading toward Konoha. Tomorrow, he would spend the day acting like the prank loving fool everyone thought of him as. Naruto learned that one of the few most important tools of a ninja was deception. If he played his part well enough, people will start to underestimate him and that was what he was aiming for.

_Let people underestimate you. That way they will never know what you're truly capable of._

Smiling to himself, he reached the secret passage into the village and slipped inside.

* * *

The following day, Naruto decided to buy some new clothes. He realized that the orange jumpsuit would make him an obvious target because it was too bright. Of course, he would still wear it for everyone else's benefit, but once he graduated from the academy he would ditch it eventually. For now, he would just have to endure.

_A ninja is someone who can endure the greatest hardships and burdens that was placed on him._

Over the past month, thanks to his intense studying, he was beginning to develop a somewhat photographic memory. His father had a list of rules about being a shinobi and without meaning to he had memorized all of them.

He walked through the streets, ignoring the hateful looks thrown his way. After a while, he reached clothing store where he planned to buy his new clothes. He had saved up his weekly allowances from the hokage, enough to buy a pairs of spare clothes. Thanks to his frequent visits to the hideout, he learned to hunt and scavenge for food in the forest, which in turn reduced his need to purchase food from the market, allowing him to save a hefty amount of money.

Ducking into a nearby alley, he looked both ways before he used the Henge to transform into a random boy. He knew that the shopkeeper would probably kick him out if it was him purchasing or at least double the original price.

He entered the shop and scanned the aisles for some clothing that would suit him.

"Good morning, how can I help you?" A young female cashier greeted in a friendly tone.

Bet you wouldn't be so happy if you knew who I really was, Naruto thought bitterly.

He put on a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his head. "I was wondering if you have any clothes my size."

"Right this way young man." The cashier directed him to a rack of clothes.

In a few minutes, he was decked out in a brand new outfit. He wore a plain red t-shirt and a black jacket over it. A pair of new black pants that reached until his ankles and new sandals as well. All in all, he liked his new look and bought two sets.

"Come again soon!" The female cashier called after him as he turned to leave.

He left the store and ducked into another alley before dispelling the transformation. He decided to get something to eat, seeing as he still had some spare money. Eventually, he found his way to Ichiraku's ramen stand.

"Well if it isn't our favorite customer!" Teuchi greeted.

Naruto smiled a greeting as he sat on his usual stool. "I'll take the usual Teuchi-san."

"Coming right up," Teuchi said as he began preparing the food.

Naruto noticed that someone was missing. "Say, where's Ayame-nee-chan?"

"Oh, she's at home at the moment. She recently caught a minor flu yesterday so I told her to rest."

"That's too bad. I hope she gets better soon!"

Naruto gratefully accepted the freshly made ramen and ate with gusto. He had to admit, even though he mostly ate fresh game and fruits thanks to his frequent ventures into the forest, nothing held a candle when it came to ramen. It was by far the most delicious foods he had ever tasted.

"Hey, Naruto," Teuchi spoke up. Naruto looked up from his bowl with his mouth full of noodles. "How come I don't see you around as much these days?"

Naruto swallowed the contents in his mouth before answering. "Well Teuchi-san, I was just so busy these past couple of days. After all, I'm never going to become hokage if I slack off in my training!"

Teuchi smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. "You always train so hard. For a while there I thought I lost my best customer."

"I don't think that's possible Teuchi-san. Naruto loves your ramen too much." Another voice entered the conversation.

"Iruka-sensei!"

The scarred chunin instructor took a seat next to the blonde boy and ruffled his hair. "Good to see you Naruto."

Iruka ordered the pork ramen as Naruto guzzled down the remaining soup from his ramen.

"So Naruto, are you ready to go back to the academy tomorrow?"

The blonde boy grinned up at his instructor. "You bet Iruka-sensei!"

"Just make sure you don't skip class often this year." Iruka told the boy.

Naruto scratched his head, embarrassed. "Sorry sensei, it's just that your lectures are so boring."

Iruka lightly whacked him on the back of the head. "Don't get cocky Naruto. All of the great ninjas in history started as students until they eventually reached their goals through hard work, determination, and practice."

He turned to see if the boy was listening only to find an empty seat next to him. He got up to see Naruto running away from him. The blonde boy waved and called over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow Iruka-sensei!"

"Get back here Naruto!" Iruka was about to go after him when Teuchi's voice stopped him.

"Hey you better pay for these." Teuchi stated sternly. On the inside though, he was laughing at the boy's antics as the chunin brought out his wallet, grumbling about unruly kids.

* * *

The following day, Naruto woke to the sound of his alarm clock. He groaned as he got out of bed and stretched. It was the start of another year at the academy. After a quick breakfast of eggs and toast, he quickly went about his morning routine and got dressed. He wished he could've worn his new set of clothes but it would attract too much unwanted attention.

He locked the door to his small apartment as he made his way toward the academy.

He casually strolled through the streets, effectively ignoring the glares sent his way. He wasn't in much of a hurry so he kept to a slow pace. He put on the goofy grin everyone always saw, masking his true self from anyone else. Hiding all the years of pain caused by the very people his parents died protecting. The thought lit a fire of untamed rage within him.

_Never let anger or revenge consume your thoughts. _

Taking deep breaths at a time, he managed to suppress the building anger.

Thirty minutes later he found himself in the ninja academy building. He stopped just outside of the classroom door. Steeling himself, he slid the door open and walked inside.

The familiar chatter could be heard as he entered. His classmates obviously excited for the upcoming lessons. The only one who didn't seem to care was Shikamaru Nara. The lazy clan heir was sleeping soundly on his desk with his head resting on top of his arms. Choji, a chubby boy from another respected clan was currently munching on some potato chips next to his sleeping friend.

Naruto was ignored of course. He sighed as he took a seat by the window. He stared at the village outside of the little classroom. One day, he was going to become a ninja like his parents and then it would be his turn to protect the village. He vowed to surpass both of his parents and become a Hokage like none other.

Suddenly, he got a suspicious feeling that someone was watching him. He turned his head to look behind him to see a cute girl with short dark purple hair staring at him. The girl blushed when he caught her staring and looked away shyly.

Naruto frowned in confusion. Was the girl watching me? Why is she blushing?

He shrugged it off when someone else entered the classroom.

All of the girls, minus Hinata, swooned and stared at the newcomer with hearts in their eyes. Of course, Naruto knew who he was. Who didn't? Sasuke Uchiha, the lone survivor of the Uchiha clan massacre was the top academy student. Naruto on the other hand had been named the dead last.

The pale raven-haired boy ignored the girls who was trying to get his attention and made his way over to his usual spot. He was surprised however when he found the seat already occupied by the dobe. Sasuke walked over and stood over the blonde boy.

Naruto noticed this and turned to look at him. "Can I help you?"

"You're in my seat, dobe." Sasuke stated as a matter-of-factly.

"I don't see a name on it." Naruto countered, not backing down. It was just a chair. Surely the prick could find another one, right? But nooo, his fan girls had to come to his rescue.

"That's right Naruto-baka! That's Sasuke-kun's spot!" The pink haired banshee screeched.

"Yeah, find your own seat!" Ino shouted in agreement.

Naruto sighed in annoyance as he stood up. Apparently they were going to drag this out if he kept arguing with them. But he wasn't going to let the arrogant bastard off the hook.

"Oh wait, now I see it." Naruto said loudly. He looked back at the chair and pretended to read an inscription. "This seat is reserved for the Uchiha prick who has a ten foot pole shoved up his ass. Well, here you go then!"

Naruto made an exaggerated gesture toward the chair, like a waiter showing customers to their seats. The other boys roared with laughter at Naruto's antics, it was true that they didn't especially like Naruto, but they also disliked Sasuke's arrogance and the fact that he seemed to have snagged every girl's affection in class. Plus, the Uchiha's face was priceless.

All of the girls fumed and Naruto barely managed to dodge Ino and Sakura's attempts to hit him for making fun of their crush. Although, Naruto noticed that one girl was giggling quietly to herself. It was the cute girl sitting at the back.

After things settled down somewhat, everybody went back to their respective conversations as if nothing happened. The Uchiha sat on the chair next to the window and struck up his normal brooding pose. Seriously, what do the girls see in him?

One girl in particular stuck out among the rest. Naruto decided to walk up to her.

"Umm, hi, do you mind if I sit here?" Naruto asked the shy girl.

For some reason, the girl was blushing up a storm.

Hinata on the other hand, was so nervous that she thought that she might faint. Her heart was racing and her face felt hot due to the fact that her crush was currently standing next to her. She hoped she wasn't as red as she felt.

_He's talking to me! What should I do? He wants to sit next to me. Okay, calm down. You can do this._

"N-no, I d-don't mind." She said as she fidgeted with her fingers.

Naruto offered her a smile that made her heart melt inside. "Great! Thanks!"

"So, what's your name?" Naruto asked politely as he took a seat next to her. Naruto was seriously starting to think that this girl was coming down with a fever because her face was so red.

"H-Hinata Hyuga," she responded shyly.

"Nice to meet you Hinata-chan!" Naruto held out his hand and the girl shook it.

_He's holding my hand! Okay, just breathe._

Naruto looked concerned as Hinata began to blush deeply. He leaned in close to the girl's face and placed his hand on her forehead. "Are you okay, Hinata-chan? You're really red. You might have a fever."

Hinata couldn't take it anymore seeing as their faces were so close to each other. She fainted.

"Gah! I killed her!"

* * *

**Well here it is the first chapter's done. Again this is just an idea that popped into my head. I've decided on the NaruHina pairing. I hope you guys like it. I don't know if it's any good as the others I've read but if I receive at least ten positive reviews on this story, I'll do my best to continue it. If not, well I guess I'll just leave it up to you my dear readers. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, first of all, I'd like to thank those people who started supporting my story and for leaving positive reviews which pushed me to continue. Seriously, it meant a lot to me. Now here it is the second chapter. Enjoy and review.**

* * *

Hinata Hyuga was a shy and timid girl. It wasn't something you would expect from a renowned clan heiress of the Hyuga. In fact, her younger sister Hanabi was more suited to become the future clan head. She was only five years old at present but already walks with natural confidence. Hiashi, her father and clan leader was very disappointed in her eldest daughter.

Despite her family problems, Hinata has been extremely happy this past year. It was all thanks to a certain blonde haired boy.

Ever since the start of the academy, they had become good friends. Hinata thought that it was too good to be true, not that she was complaining. It was no dream either. Naruto was indeed her friend and she couldn't be any happier.

She had developed a crush on the blonde ever since he stopped several bullies from picking on her. Of course, he was still beaten up afterward and her caretaker, Ko, had dragged her away before she got a chance to say thank you. Hinata wasn't sure if he still remembered that incident all those years ago. She didn't have the nerve to ask.

Now, at least, she was able to get to know Naruto a little better since she was his only friend and likewise for her. They were nearly inseparable these days. They always sit together, have lunch together, and sometimes after school, they go to some training grounds to work on their ninja skills.

During their time together, Hinata started to notice how the people looked at Naruto when they passed by on the street. She didn't know why the villagers treated him as such or why her father wanted her to keep away from him. The blonde boy was always so kind, encouraging, and gentle. She was confused as to why she heard some of the villagers refer to him as the demon.

Naruto didn't seem to care though. He just shrugged it off and ignored the hateful looks thrown his way. She wished that she had that kind of self confidence. Maybe then her father wouldn't look down on her so much. Her friend always kept assuring her that one day, her father would see her as the great person she was.

Hinata couldn't have asked for a better friend. If only he wasn't so mysterious sometimes.

Naruto also had a hidden side of him that Hinata couldn't figure out. Hinata could tell that her friend was keeping something from her. She didn't know why.

For instance, he would skip class from time to time and would suddenly vanish from the face of the village. One time, she decided to check on him at his apartment, thinking that he was sick. Naruto had given her a spare key and told her that she can visit any time she wants. When she got there, she only found an empty apartment. She had checked the ramen stand and found the same results.

It was so strange. Hinata hasn't got the slightest clue to where her friend had disappeared to. This happened every time Naruto decided to skip class which is every once a week or so.

There was also another factor that only added to her friend's deepening mystery. They often trained and polished their skills after classes. Hinata helped Naruto train with taijutsu and he taught her how to hit multiple targets with kunais and surikens. This is where it gets weird. During their practice sessions, they had set up the basic targets like in the academy. Hinata would often hit most except for two. Naruto on the other hand, never missed. His accuracy was perfect.

The following day at the academy was also practice day for shurikens. When it was Naruto's turn, Hinata noticed that his form was sloppy therefore he failed to hit at least one. The rest of the class laughed at him for it but Hinata knew better. He missed those targets on purpose. What Hinata couldn't figure out was her friend's reason for hiding his true potential in front of the others. Wasn't it his goal to become the Hokage and be acknowledged as an outstanding ninja?

She tried asking him about it but he was skilled in avoiding the subject and directing the flow of the conversation. He was a great friend, but sometimes Hinata wished that he would be more open to her about such things.

* * *

One afternoon, the two were happily enjoying their time after school. They had decided to take a break from training and have a picnic instead. The two were at their usual training grounds. Luckily no one was around and they had the place all to themselves. They had a wonderful time just playing games and eating.

At some point, the day was beginning to wane and the sun was beginning to set. The two friends leaned against a tree as they watched the sunset. Hinata rested her head on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto didn't mind, he was content to be sitting on the grass with his closest friend beside him. She was beginning to grow confidence thanks to the blonde boy. She didn't faint anymore but she still blushed when Naruto held her hand while walking together on the street.

"I wish we could stay like this Naruto-kun." Hinata said breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, confused.

"This is the most fun day of my life. I don't have to worry about anything and that you're here with me." Hinata responded. "I wish we could stay like this a little longer."

"Me too." Naruto smiled.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. But Naruto had to break it.

"Hinata-chan, do you know what date tomorrow is?" He asked, nervously.

"Tomorrow's October tenth." She answered. She didn't know where this was headed.

"Exactly," Naruto confirmed. "Tomorrow's my birthday and…"

Naruto didn't finish. He didn't need to.

Naruto told her about how the mobs usually chase him on his birthday. She felt repulsed at the way her friend was treated. He wasn't a monster or a demon. She didn't know why the villagers continued to treat him like that. More importantly, she was scared for her friend.

"What are we going to do?" She asked.

Naruto smiled for a bit when she used 'we' before turning serious again. "Hinata-chan, tomorrow I have to ask you to stay away from me."

"No way!"

"Please," He urged. "They might hurt you too. I won't be able to forgive myself if my best friend was put in harm's way because of me. Please, Hinata-chan. Promise me."

Hinata bit her lip and hesitated for a moment. His bright blue eyes were pleading and a little bit desperate. He honestly didn't want her to get hurt.

"Alright, Naruto-kun, I promise."

Naruto sighed in relief.

When the sun had completely disappeared over the horizon, the two packed up their leftovers and made their way through the streets of the village. Naruto insisted to walk Hinata home and she happily agreed. They traveled in silence.

They arrived at the Hyuga compound after a few minutes.

"Well, I guess this is-,"

Whatever Naruto was going to say was cut off when Hinata suddenly threw her arms around him in a tight hug. After a moment, he returned it by wrapping his own arms around her and they stood in embrace for what felt like an eternity.

Hinata didn't want to let go. Because she knew of the horrors that will await the boy she was hugging when tomorrow came. She wanted to be there with him to face those dangers together but she knew that Naruto would never allow that. For now at least, her friend was safe in her arms.

"Be careful, Naruto-kun. More importantly, stay safe. I also don't want my friend to get hurt." She said softly.

"Okay." Naruto whispered.

The two broke apart and Hinata walked inside the gates. She turned to see Naruto still watching her. He gave her a wave and flashed her one of his confident grins. Hinata smiled back and after a few minutes he was gone.

* * *

Naruto lay awake in his apartment staring at the ceiling. He still couldn't believe that a year has already past since the day he decided to run away from his village. The days seemed to slip by and now here he was.

He smiled as an image of Hinata popped into his head. He could honestly say that she was one of the best things that had come into his life. She was his friend. She didn't treat him like everyone else and more importantly she saw him for who he really was. Thinking back on it now, Naruto couldn't imagine what his life would have been like without her.

He still felt bad about not telling her why he disappeared every now and then. He knew that she was obviously worried but he wasn't ready to reveal to anyone else about where he had been sneaking off to and what he was doing. One of these days though, he would tell her everything she needed to know about himself.

As far as his training is concerned, he was improving remarkably well. His skill with fuinjutsu was increasing with every visit. He had also improved with his taijutsu training as well and thanks to the weighted seals on his arms, legs and torso his physical training was paying off. His basic ninjutsu was also polished and he was now currently working on elemental affinities. His element was wind. It was slow going with the leaf cutting exercise but luckily, Naruto discovered a jutsu that would speed up his progress.

The shadow clone jutsu was a high-level technique and could only be used to its full potential by a person with very large chakra reserves. Seeing as how he was the jinchuuriki of the most powerful bijuu and not to mention his mother's clan, he was confident that he could make use of a large number of solid clones for his training. Apparently when the clone is dispersed, the memories of the clone will return to the original. This way he could cut his training time in half by what would have taken him three months to do, would only take him a week to accomplish.

Naruto sighed happily as he closed his eyes and started to drift asleep.

_For once, everything is going smoothly for me._

* * *

Naruto woke up early the following day to get a head start. The sun wasn't even rising yet. Naruto quickly got dressed and headed out. He would be training until mid-afternoon today. After that, he wasn't looking forward to what the drunken villagers had planned this year if they caught him.

He slipped through the secret passage and dashed through the forest. Once he made it there, Naruto formed the required hand sign. "Tajuu Kagebunshin no jutsu!"

There was a huge puff of smoke and when it cleared, he was surrounded by sixty copies of himself. He started to divide the training he planned for today. Twenty clones will continue with the leaf-cutting exercise. Ten clones will read up on fuinjutsu. Ten of the clones will study the different ninjutsu scrolls. Another ten will study the other necessary subjects for shinobi such as geography, tactics, and history. The last batch would be his sparring partners.

And so Naruto lost himself in his training. By the time he decided to take a break, it was already noon. Naruto dispelled his clones few at a time. He had learned the hard way not to disperse them all at once. When he did, his head wouldn't stop spinning and it took two hours for him to get over his nausea.

The clones memories came rushing back to him along with the hours of reading and practice. Afterwards, Naruto ate a small lunch consisting of grilled fish, berries and some apples. As he ate, he couldn't help but wonder what Hinata was doing at this moment. He didn't know why, but his thought always seemed directed toward the girl no matter what he was doing nowadays.

Naruto finished his lunch and decided continue where he left off. When he felt two hours had passed he decided to head back to the village. No doubt everyone was raring to get things started.

_There's always a sliver lining even in the most hopeless situations._

I hope so too, dad, Naruto thought.

* * *

The Sandaime Hokage watched from his crystal orb as the blonde boy dashed among the rooftops toward his apartment. He knew that today was the death anniversary of the village's beloved Fourth Hokage and also the day when the Kyuubi attacked the village ten years ago. Hiruzen felt deep sadness and regret toward the blonde jinchuuriki. He also felt ashamed by the actions of the villagers toward the boy. If only they knew that Naruto was the very reason that the Kyuubi was kept at bay. The blonde boy was a hero everyday just by living and keeping the beast tamed within his self.

Hiruzen knew of the beatings that the boy suffered every year and that is why he has taken special precautions this year. He would assign three of his personal Anbu to watch and protect Naruto if things came to worst. He will not fail Minato's son, not this time.

He turned to one of the portraits of the previous Hokages on the wall in his office. The picture of the young Yondaime stared back at Sarutobi and once again he marveled at how his son resembled him, granted that he took after both of his parents.

Suddenly, three Anbu ninjas appeared in the office in front of the hokage's desk. They all got down on one knee.

"You called, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes," Hiruzen affirmed. "As you're aware, tonight is the festival to celebrate the defeat of the great bijuu. No doubt that Naruto will be in grave danger and it will be up to you three to make sure he is not excessively harmed. I'm counting on you, Sparrow, Weasel, and Dog. Don't fail."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" The three said in unison. The three then disappeared a moment later.

Hiruzen turned to look back into his crystal orb and saw the young jinchuuriki leaning on the railing on the rooftop of his apartment. The young boy stared out into the village as the sun was beginning to set. Hiruzen could see the drastic changes the boy underwent this past year ever since he learned of his heritage.

Gone was his loud and brash attitude. Hiruzen could see through his act that he put up in front of everyone else but Naruto couldn't fool him. Only when he was alone or with the Hyuga heiress did Naruto act like himself. Looking at the boy now, he could see the intelligence and fierce determination in his eyes. The resolve behind it was unimaginably strong. In Hiruzen's opinion, the Will of Fire burns the brightest inside of Naruto.

Hiruzen chuckled to himself. "He really is your son. I better watch out or these youngsters will surpass us quicker than I expected eh, Minato?"

* * *

Earlier that day, Hinata underwent yet another grueling spar with one of the clan members. Her opponent was not too lenient with her and was not afraid to hold back. As a result, she suffered a painful defeat in which she could barely stand afterwards. She was panting heavily on her hands and knees.

Her father, Hiashi was observing the fight and was disappointed. Again, his daughter failed to live up to his expectations. He spared her one last look before standing to leave. Hinata's sparring partner also took his leave and Hinata was left alone in the small dojo.

Once she was alone, Hinata couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. Why was she so weak? She always gave her all and trained so hard and yet, it still wasn't enough. She sobbed quietly. All she ever wanted was to make her father proud and acknowledge her. He couldn't even look at her these days without feeling disappointed.

She felt utterly hopeless. She was never going to improve.

_Don't cry Hinata-chan._

Hinata looked up suddenly and expected to see her friend standing right in front of her. She found herself staring at empty space for a moment until she realized that she was still alone. Had she imagined it? His voice felt so real it was almost like he was here with her.

_Never give up. That's the only way anyone can get stronger. Don't worry Hinata-chan I'll be with you every step of the way._

Hinata smiled at those words. She remembered when he said that to her and she never forgot. She wiped the tears from her face and got back to her feet. Naruto was right, she couldn't just give up. She also wanted to walk alongside her friend and she can't do that if she's weak.

She struck up her gentle fist stance and activated her Byakugan. She then began to spar with a phantom opponent. Nonetheless, Hinata gave it her all. She practiced until she eventually collapsed from exhaustion.

Fortunately, her caretaker Ko, was watching the whole time. He had been surprised to see Hinata still training in the dojo when her father left. He was amazed by her newfound determination. When she was finally overcome with exhaustion, He carried her to her room and laid her down on the soft mattress. He smiled down at the sleeping clan heiress and turned to leave.

Just before he left the room, he turned back and managed to whisper a few words. "You'll become a fine Kunoichi someday, Hinata-sama."

When Hinata woke, she was surprised to find herself lying on the mattress in her room. The last thing she remembered was passing out in the dojo. Someone must have carried her here. She looked outside the window to find the sun already setting.

She took a quick shower and changed into new clothes. By the time she was summoned for dinner, she was already refreshed and rejuvenated.

Dinner was awkward as usual, because nobody spoke. Her father opted to eat in silence and Hanabi did the same. She wished that her mother was still alive. It was a much happier time back in those days.

When dinner was finished, Hinata wandered around the compound for a while. Now that she had slept most of the afternoon, she felt restless. She was wondering what Naruto was doing at this moment. She was starting to worry about her friend now that it was getting dark.

_Please be safe, Naruto-kun._

She had been so lost in thought that she stumbled upon an open area where her cousin Neji was currently practicing. Hinata had always been a little envious of her cousin. Neji was considered as a prodigy amongst the Hyuga clan. Although there has been some resentment from the branch family, Hinata couldn't help but admire and look up to the older boy.

She continued to walk around the compound when she started to hear the sounds of commotion. A cold feeling of dread crawled up her spine as she began to suspect the cause of what was happening outside. She rushed to the gate of the compound and saw many villagers bustling in the streets. What scared her most though was that they carried makeshift weapons like gardening ornaments and kitchen knives and the fact that they were headed toward the Southern part of the village.

Fear held her rooted to the spot as she realized something else. The direction in which the villagers were headed was where Naruto lived.

Concern and her feelings for her friend was what pushed Hinata to move and she ran past the two clan members who guarded the entrance.

"Hinata-sama, you shouldn't leave the compound at this time!" One of them called out to her.

She didn't listen nor did she care. She knew that they were going to report this to her father. Hinata would face the consequences later and she didn't give a damn what her father would say or do to her eventually. Right now, she had to save her friend. She ran in the direction of Naruto's apartment as fast as she could. Hinata could only hope that she wasn't too late.

* * *

The blonde boy screamed in agony as one of the villagers drove his knife into the boy's ribcage for the fifth time. His clothes were soaked in his blood. The boy wanted to black out from the pain. He could barely even stay conscious. Even so, he wasn't about to beg for mercy.

"Is that all you've got?" Naruto croaked.

He was answered by a fist connecting with his jaw. The hit made him see spots in his field of vision but otherwise he stayed conscious.

"Shut up demon brat!"

They were currently located on one of the streets where they eventually caught him. He outmaneuvered them as best as he could, but there were some drunken ninja in the mob as well. The villagers constructed a makeshift wooden post in the ground and bound Naruto to it by driving a nail into his raised hands. Some genius came up with the idea to make a game of 'whack the demon with sticks'. Eventually they got bored after a while and tried something else. Naruto had already been burned, stabbed, cut, and beaten.

Three of the Hokage's Anbu interfered but despite their help, Naruto was still caught. The three tried to shield him from the villagers but they were overwhelmed by their numbers. The three had been ordered to protect him but they couldn't harm civilians as well. In the end two of the Anbu were knocked out while an injured one will report to the Hokage. He hoped he could hurry a bit though. No reason, just about to bleed to death is all.

Naruto was currently surrounded by at least sixty drunk and angry villagers. His vision was blurry and one of his eyes was swollen shut. Right now the drunkards are deciding what else to do to him. His eyes scanned the crowd and he froze when he saw a familiar face in the crowd. At first he thought that he imagined it but he looked again and there was no mistaking it. What was she doing here?

He spotted Hinata amongst the crowd, though thankfully none of them noticed her. Her hands covered her mouth as tears ran freely down her cheeks. Her horrified expression was more painful than whatever punishment he got from the villagers.

Naruto met her gaze and he sent her a silent message. _Get out of here!_

Hinata only responded with a shake of her head. Naruto couldn't bear to have his friend seeing him like this and he looked away.

A moment later, a powerful voice spoke over the crowd of villagers. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

Naruto couldn't have been happier to hear that voice in all his life. They all turned to see the Sandaime Hokage striding forward along with the injured Anbu. Silence hung heavily in the air as the Hokage surveyed the seen. The villagers couldn't meet the Hokage's eyes because they were filled with fury and anger. When he saw Naruto, he was visibly shaking with rage.

"All of you will return to your homes immediately." Hiruzen ordered in a deathly quite voice. "You shall all receive punishment due to your actions. I will announce the sentence tomorrow. GO!"

The crowd did as they were told and began to disperse. Hinata rushed forward along with the Hokage.

"Naruto-kun!" She held his face in her hands as she sobbed. "Stay with me. Please, please, please don't leave me."

"Get him to the hospital at once." The Hokage ordered.

The last thing Naruto saw before he blacked out was the sobbing face of Hinata. Naruto hated himself for making her cry.

* * *

Hinata sat in silence as she waited for the doctor to give the results of their findings. The Hokage sat next to her. She couldn't cry anymore because she didn't have any tears left.

When she saw what the villagers had done to Naruto, she had been too stunned to move. Hinata has never been so scared in her entire life. All she saw was Naruto drenched in blood. She felt something break inside of her. She never wanted to see that again.

She hung her head in shame. She had done nothing to save her friend from the torture that had been done to him. She just stood there useless and helpless. Her fear rooted her to the spot. She had done nothing but watch as her best friend was tortured within an inch of his life. Hinata was indeed useless.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened, young Hinata." Hiruzen told her. "What happened tonight was not your fault."

Hinata was shook out of her thoughts as she turned toward the Hokage.

"B-but, Hokage-sama-," She started to say but Hiruzen held up a hand to stop her.

"There wasn't anything else you could have done." Hiruzen explained. "Instead you did the most important thing: You were there for Naruto. That speaks volumes for itself."

Hinata decided not to argue with the Hokage and simply nodded.

After an hour, the doctor informed them that her friend's condition was stable. Hinata wiped a few stray tears that escaped and Hiruzen sighed in relief. Naruto was currently resting and should wake up in a couple of hours. Hinata persisted to stay with Naruto until he woke. The doctor hesitated at first but eventually agreed as long as she didn't disturb him. She surprised the doctor by thanking him with a big hug.

Now she sat next to the bed of a sleeping Naruto. Most of his face was covered in bandages and his leg was in a cask. She held one of his hands in both of hers and touched it against her cheek. She rested her head on the side of the bed while she still held on to his hand. Naruto's deep and continuous breathing eventually lulled her into sleep.

* * *

Naruto found himself in front of a huge cage in a dark sewer. He was confused however because the last thing he remembered seeing was Hinata. Where exactly was he?

Naruto heard a deep and evil chuckle from the cage and a pair of crimson eyes gazed upon him. He felt a heavy atmosphere of rage and hatred. "So, my jailor has come to visit me at last. You don't look like much brat."

It was then that Naruto realized who he was standing before. "You're the Kyuubi."

It was a statement, not a question. "Indeed I am. You should be grateful. If it weren't for my healing abilities, you would be dead by now."

"Grateful?" Naruto responded. "If it weren't for you I wouldn't be in this situation right now! It's because of you that they treat me this way!"

The Kyuubi growled. "I don' like it either brat! Do you think I want to be trapped here?! Then do us both a favor and rip these seal off my cage so I could crush you and get this over with!"

Naruto took a deep breath before answering. He had to get his emotions under control. "I don't think so. If I did then you would destroy the entire village."

"You still care for those worthless humans?" The Kyuubi asked in disbelief. "They are the ones who beat you, the ones who shunned you. Yet you still defend them?"

Naruto looked down. "There are also people I care about in this village. They are the ones most precious to me and whom I would gladly die for."

He thought about the few people who actually cared about him. Most of all, he thought about Hinata.

"Yes, I know about your little friend." The Kyuubi said in disgust. "She has been keeping a close watch on you since your run in with the villagers and she hasn't left your side once."

"What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"Find out for yourself brat!" The Kyuubi responded angrily. "Now be gone and leave me in peace!"

Naruto wasn't sure what the fox was ranting about until he could feel himself starting to wake up.

* * *

Hinata was having a sweet and simple dream. She was younger and was currently sitting on her mother's lap while she stroked her hair. Her mother was humming a soft and happy tune and Hinata just snuggled closer. She missed her mother deeply and even dreaming about her made her happy.

The dream was beginning to fade but she could still feel her mother gently stroking her hair. She knew something was strange because she felt her head resting on a hospital bed. Someone was gently running their fingers through her short hair and she woke up to find Naruto awake and smiling at her.

"Good morning, Hinata-chan. I-umf."

Naruto didn't get to finish his sentence as Hinata tackled him with a hug.

"Naruto-kun you baka! Don't scare me like that! Baka, baka, baka, baka!" Hinata kept hitting him weakly with every word. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. After pounding on his chest repeatedly, she found herself crying into his chest as she wrapped her arms around her friend. All that mattered was that he was awake and alive.

"Thanks for being here, Hinata-chan."

* * *

**Okay so that's the second chapter. I hope you guys like it. I had to do it mostly in Hinata's point of view to sort of kick things off. Again, please leave your reviews and tell me what you think. Don't worry, the next chapter is where Naruto finally shows the few results of his training and I have just the right idea to how to do it. Till next time. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Once again, I'm grateful for the support and the reviews that you guys give. Although I recently got a few skeptical reviews concerning the last chapter, I'm still thankful for their reviews nonetheless. I know that the Anbu should have been able to handle the mob of villagers that came after Naruto or at least be able to keep him out of harm's way, but I didn't want them to. I wanted to show the readers of Naruto's strong resolve and willingness to confront hatred and anger. I also wanted to show the growing friendship between Naruto and Hinata. If you don't like how my plot is evolving then maybe this isn't the story for you.**

* * *

After three days of being stuck in the hospital, Naruto was glad to finally be discharged. He had recovered quite nicely but the doctor instructed to get a good day's rest before doing anything strenuous. It still felt good to be up and about though.

In regard of what happened after the assault on him, the Sandaime informed him that the people involved would be punished accordingly. He didn't tell Naruto what the sentence was and he had a feeling that he knew what it was. Naruto had taken up to reading the village laws and the punishment for attempted murder was execution. Now, everyone in the village mostly kept their distance from him but still despised him.

His short stay at the hospital wasn't so bad. Hinata visited him often and kept him company. Although his friend visited, she was only allowed to see him briefly because her father had "grounded" her so to say since he found out about her taking off for no reason that night he was nearly beaten to death. However, her caretaker Ko would often cover for her and she would sneak out to see him. Naruto appreciated the effort and time his friend spent for him and he wanted to repay her somehow.

He was thinking of a way to make it up to her as he sat meditating in the woods. Now that he was fully healed and rested, it was time to resume his usual training. Seventy shadow clones were divided into their respective groups and set about their tasks. He had already mastered the leaf cutting exercise and was now ready to take it to the next step. Naruto had mastered a few basic wind jutsus as well. He had read that for people with the wind affinity to bring out the fullest potential of their jutsus is that the wind needs to be sharp and thin as much as possible. That way it can cut through almost anything. Now his clones were trying to cut thick branches of wood.

His skill with fuinjutsu was advancing well. He learned that there were endless possibilities when it came to the sealing arts. The main goal was to create your own seals and make it as complicated as possible. That way your enemy cannot retaliate and by the time he figures out the secret to your seal, it will already be too late. Once he had mastered the very basics, it was up to him to improve the existing seals or create his very own. He was already coming up with ideas but it was still a work in progress and needs more smoothening around the edges.

Thanks to his weighted seals, Naruto was becoming stronger and faster everyday. He increased the weight every week or so and sometimes practiced without them to get the hang of it. When he first dispelled his seals, he was amazed by how fast and strong he was. His body felt so light and it felt exhilarating.

Naruto sat on the ground in a meditative position as he tried to remain motionless. It was a good exercise to sharpen his focus and expand his senses. Thanks to his continuous meditation, Naruto was now able to detect chakra signatures within a two mile radius.

Naruto's eyes flashed open as he felt something come across his senses. It was too fast to distinguish what it was but he was sure that he felt something. A faint chakra signature suddenly made itself known and disappeared just as fast. Maybe he just imagined it?

_Always trust in your instincts._

Naruto frowned and stood up from his seated position. Something wasn't right. He felt uneasy for some reason.

Coming to a decision, he dispelled his clones few at a time and decided to head back toward the village.

* * *

It was around noon and Naruto was wandering aimlessly through the streets of Konoha. He dismissed the hateful looks people were throwing at him. He had other things on his mind at the moment. The lingering feeling of uneasiness still hasn't left him.

He was thinking furiously when he suddenly spotted Choji and Shikamaru ahead of him. On an impulse he decided to go talk to them.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Naruto greeted casually, with a goofy grin on his face.

"Hi Naruto." Choji greeted. As always, the boy was currently munching on some potato chips.

"Nothing much," Shikamaru replied lazily. "My mother just asked me to pick up some groceries, which is troublesome."

Naruto chuckled. Next to Hinata, Choji and Shikamaru were friendly and polite enough whenever the blonde spoke with them. They manage to interact a few times in class and outside the academy. It's just that Shikamaru was too lazy to do anything most of the time and Choji was always occupied with eating that he couldn't ask them to hang out sometime.

"What about you Choji?" Naruto turned to his chubby classmate. He knew never to say that out loud. Whenever Choji heard someone call him fat, well, they would probably start eating food through straws when Choji was finished with them.

"I have to be home in twenty minutes." Choji said. "My dad says he wants to talk to me about something."

Naruto felt slightly disappointed to know that both of his classmates couldn't stick around with him for a while.

"Oh, okay then. Catch you guys later." Naruto called out behind them as they began to walk in opposite directions.

He continued to wander the streets. With no destination in mind, he was completely left to his own thoughts. He hadn't felt this lonely in a long time thanks to Hinata. He wished that he could go see her, but she was currently under house arrest by her father. He didn't want to get her in more trouble as it is.

Sighing, he decided to head back to his apartment.

* * *

Hinata was once again suffering from a humiliating defeat during training session. Her father had doubled her training schedule and didn't allow her to leave the compound until her punishment was lifted. She felt exhausted and sore thanks to her intense sparring session. Her cousin Neji had been her opponent and he wasn't afraid to batter and bruise her in the process. She gave it her best but not once was she able to land a hit on the clan prodigy.

After the spar, Neji bowed respectfully towards Hiashi before taking his leave. He didn't even spare Hinata a glance.

"When are you ever going to improve Hinata?" Her father demanded. Hiashi stood and stormed out of the dojo.

Ko felt sorry for the young clan heiress as she placed her hands on her knees and was panting heavily. He could see that she was really giving her best efforts and yet she was still lacking improvement. Maybe it was because of the lack of initiative, he thought. Even Ko knew that her interest was always elsewhere, maybe on a certain blonde haired jinchuuriki for instance.

Ko stood and placed a consoling hand on the girl's shoulder. "Come, Hinata-sama. You've earned a break."

Hinata stayed silent for a moment before speaking.

"Ko-san, can I ask you for a favor?" Hinata asked hesitantly.

"Anything Hinata-sama," Ko responded.

Hinata looked up and met the older Hyuga's gaze. "Please spar with me."

Ko was a bit surprised by her request. Usually after a spar, the young heiress would gladly find an excuse for something else to occupy her time. Now, she was requesting another practice session? This was certainly out of character for her.

"May I ask why, Hinata-sama?" Ko asked curiously.

Hinata stood up straight and met Ko's gaze. There was a fire of determination burning within her eyes.

"Because I am still weak and therefore I cannot protect the people I care about." Hinata stated. "I need to become stronger to walk alongside the one who matters to me."

Hinata looked down as images of a bloodied Naruto came to mind. "I don't ever want to see my friends get hurt. So please, help me become stronger."

Ko smiled down at the girl standing confident before him. It appears that her willingness to protect her friend was just the spark she needed to get her motivated. It was nothing short of miraculous that Naruto was able to have this much of an effect on her. That boy is something else, Ko thought but in a good way.

"Very well, Hinata-sama." Ko took up a fighting stance and Hinata did the same.

"Thank you, please don't hold back." Hinata said.

They both activated their Byakugan and began to exchange furious blows. Ko was surprised by the intensity of her attacks. He occasionally pointed out her mistakes or threw in some helpful suggestions every now and then. Hinata made the necessary adjustments and immediately gained better results.

All the while, Neji observed the two through a small opening between the sliding doors. It intrigued him to see Hinata put a lot of effort into her training even though he knew it was futile. The weak were fated to lose and fail. Only those who were destined for greatness were the ones who will eventually achieve it. No amount of training could rival what fate had intended.

With that thought in mind, he began to walk away.

* * *

That night, Hinata made her way to her room as dinner ended. She was exhausted. Even so, Ko had told her she did remarkably well and has improved a little bit. With more training perhaps, she would definitely become stronger. It was all thanks to her blonde friend that inspired her.

_Just wait Naruto-kun. I will definitely grow_ _stronger and I can finally walk by your side._

She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice a silent figure creep up behind her and deliver a sharp blow to her neck. Too late as she went out like a light and crumpled to the floor. The enemy ninja picked her up and draped her over his shoulder. He then proceeded to make a hasty retreat to join his comrades. The mission was a success.

* * *

Naruto was seriously on edge as he paced around in his apartment. He felt totally restless and he couldn't stay still. He had already cleaned his entire apartment but the feeling of uneasiness still lingering from earlier this morning. It was already evening and he still couldn't rest easy. What exactly did he sense earlier today?

_In the midst of confusion, sort out all the possible scenarios. Get the facts straight and come up with your own conclusion._

He took a deep breath and sat down on the mattress. His mind was working overtime.

He detected a faint chakra signature earlier in the woods. It only appeared for a moment and then vanished as fast as it came. That meant that whatever it was crossed the edge of his enhanced field of vision. Or whoever it was.

A cold feeling of dread crawled up his spine as he began to form a possible scenario. He was training in the woods, a good distance away from the village. When Konoha ninjas were deployed for a mission they would usually leave through the main gate and use the main road leading out of the village. So that could only mean one thing: Enemy shinobi.

He quickly got up and changed into his new ninja clothes. He also grabbed his ninja gear. He had to report this to the Hokage immediately. For now, he would drop his goofy mask and take serious action.

Suddenly, he picked up a flurry of commotion thanks to his sensory skills. He looked out the window and saw a few jonin dashing hurriedly across the rooftops. They were all headed to the Hokage tower. He had a bad feeling about this. They must have found out about the infiltrating enemy ninja.

Something still eluded Naruto. What could they be after?

_Never act impulsively. Gather the necessary information before taking action._

Coming to a decision, Naruto pulled up the hood of his jacket and dashed toward the Hokage tower.

* * *

"I have already dispatched all of my Anbu and tracking squads for the search." Hiruzen informed a furious Hiashi. "We will not rest until we find her."

"Who would do this Hokage-sama?" Hiashi demanded.

Hiashi had been alerted that his daughter had been kidnapped an hour after finishing their supper. Ko had checked on her room and found it empty. He then used the Byakugan to locate her in the compound. When he couldn't see her chakra signature he expanded his range and couldn't find any trace of her in the entire village. It was then that he reported this to Hiashi and he immediately informed the Hokage.

He may feel disappointed in his daughter but he still loved his children nonetheless.

"It is troubling." Hiruzen admitted. "Do not fret Hiashi-san. All of our best trackers are out looking for your daughter Hinata. We will find her."

"Please excuse me Hokage-sama." Hiashi stated. "I will join the search as well."

He stood to leave, accompanied by two clan members. Hiruzen sighed as he slumped back on his chair. He prayed that they find the girl soon.

All the while, Naruto secretly listened in on the conversation from outside the office window. When he heard Hinata's name, he began to dash through the rooftops so fast that the next thing he knew was that he was already in the woods. He had released his weighted seals allowing him to run and move faster. He expanded his chakra field of vision and summoned five clones to search in different directions. Once a clone found the Hyuuga heiress its job would be to disperse and alert the location to the original. At that moment, Naruto didn't care about anything else.

His only goal at present was to rescue his friend.

_Hang on Hinata._

* * *

After an hour of searching, Naruto detected a familiar chakra signature a few meters ahead of him. The chakra was Hinata's. Naruto was sure of it. He could also sense three suppressed chakra signatures as well. No doubt it belonged to the ones who kidnapped her. They were skilled at hiding it too. Only an adept sensory ninja would be able to pick up their location.

Naruto dispelled his clones and picked up his pace. They were a good distance from the village now. Thanks to his studies in geography and given the speed in which they were travelling, he could assume that they were getting close to the border of the Fire country. Also, he was starting to get a good sense of who he was facing. The assailants were traveling towards the land of lightning so it could only mean one thing. The ninjas were from Kumogakure.

Why they were after Hinata was unknown to him and he couldn't care any less. They had tried to take someone precious to him and he was going to make sure that there was hell to pay.

Naruto suppressed his own chakra signature to avoid detection. Right now the three cloud ninjas were camped in a small clearing. He stayed a good distance away until he was going to make his move. They were no doubt exhausted from their fast and grueling pace to flee from Konoha. It was times like these that Naruto was thankful for his insane stamina. He had travelled the same distance with much more haste and yet he was only slightly winded. That was his advantage.

_When you get the upper hand, press it to the limit._

The next course of action would be to attack them now while they were resting. He would need to distract them first. They were probably on edge, expecting to be attacked at any moment from leaf ninja. They need to think that there are more enemies than there really is.

_Deception is one of the most valuable assets of a ninja._

Another thing he didn't want to do is to turn the situation into a long drawn out fight. These ninjas were obviously high chunin to mid jonin in ranking for them to take on such a mission as infiltration. He would need to end this battle quick and decisively.

_When you make the first move in a battle, hit hard and fast._

He then hastily formed a plan and summoned three shadow clones. The clones sped off in different directions. He would have to time this right and hope for a bit of luck.

* * *

Naruto perched on a branch of a nearby tree, overlooking the small enemy camp. He was close enough to make note of the two sleeping ninja and one sentry. Hinata was unconscious and bound to the base of a tree. She was blindfolded and gagged. Thankfully, she looked unharmed.

The small fire was reduced to an ember to conceal their whereabouts. The sentry was scanning his surroundings periodically. Each of the ninjas was equipped with a short katana sword. He had to act now and throw them into hasty confusion.

Naruto estimated that his clones were in their respective positions by now and imitated a bird call to signal them. Right on cue, a dozen shuriken launched from some bushes and the ninja on watch barely managed to deflect them.

"We've got company!" The ninja yelled. His comrades woke immediately as they heard the shouted warning. They got to their feet and assumed a battle stance.

"Where are they?" one of them asked.

As soon as the words left his mouth, another volley of shurikens rained down on them from a different direction. They deflected them easily. Naruto watched as their heads swiveled from side to side as they tried to pinpoint the location of their supposed attackers.

Then another volley flew at them from another direction and deflected them as well.

"Form up!" One of them ordered.

The three cloud shinobi stood back to back with each of them facing a different direction. This way, they can counter an incoming assault from all sides. There was a flaw in this formation however and that was what Naruto was aiming for. By giving them the illusion of a possible attack from different directions, they leave a small space in between their triangle formation.

Naruto hasn't learned the Hiraishin jutsu yet. He still had a long way to go before he was ready for his father's jutsu. But he did learn the next best thing. He only had a moment to get this right so he would have to be fast.

Naruto used the Sunshin no jutsu to teleport himself to the spot in between the three ninjas. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Naruto formed two shadow clones and the three of them ran through some hand signs so fast that before the three Kumo ninja could turn around, the three blondes took in a deep breath before shouting: "Fuuton: Daitoppa! (Wind style: Great Breakthrough!)"

Large blasts of wind blew the three ninjas in different directions. They received many minor cuts and their armor was shredded because of the close range of the attack. Two of the ninjas were fortunate enough to land on some bushes to lessen the impact of their fall and only added a few more cuts. The third however, slammed into a tree and Naruto heard something break as he heard a crack.

Not wasting any time, Naruto used the body flicker jutsu to teleport to the nearest enemy ninja. He appeared next to him and Naruto marked him with a paralyzing seal on his chest.

Several volts of electricity coursed through the man's body as soon as the seal was placed. The sensation was similar to that of being tasered. Before he knew it, his whole body felt numb and he couldn't move. He could only stare at his attacker who wore a black jacket over a red shirt. Under his hood the ninja could see a pair of bright blue eyes staring down at him.

_One down, two to go._ Naruto thought after he placed the seal on the man.

Naruto body flickered to the next shinobi. It was the one who knocked into a tree. The ninja was clutching at his sides, no doubt broke a few ribs, but despite his injury, he held his short sword in his good hand and swung his weapon in an attempt to behead Naruto.

The blonde easily dodged the slash and back flipped away from the cloud ninja. Naruto landed on a vertical surface of a tree trunk. Using it as a spring board, Naruto launched himself once again at the injured cloud ninja.

The shinobi saw the blonde coming at him and poised his sword to meet him. Once he was close enough, the ninja lunged at Naruto. The blonde boy on the other hand managed to avoid the thrust by ducking under the raised sword and placed a seal on the ninja. As soon as he did, the cloud ninja felt the full effect of his seal and crumpled to the ground, paralyzed.

Suddenly, Naruto heard the last ninja shout: "Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!"

Naruto barely managed to dodge the large ball of fire heading toward him. The third ninja had fully recovered from his initial surprise and from his first attack and was fully alert. Right now, the Kumo ninja stood between him and Hinata who was still unconscious.

Naruto didn't want to launch a long range attack because he might end up hurting Hinata if it missed. He didn't want to take that chance. That meant he would have to resort to close range combat. He took out two kunai and held it at the ready. Naruto cursed silently. He was seriously trying to avoid a drawn out fight but now it was unavoidable.

_Things don't always go according to plan. Adapt and respond appropriately to the new situation._

The two faced each other for a moment, both of them planning how to take down the other.

Naruto tensed as he prepared himself to launch into action at any instant. It just occurred to him that his opponent is a full fledged ninja while he was not even a genin yet. The shinobi in front of him has already undertaken many missions and has a lot of experience in the field. He may have been able to surprise them and render the other two paralyzed but now that his opponent was fully prepared and ready, he might actually get killed.

_No, _He thought as he pushed his doubts aside. _I have to save Hinata. _

He took a deep breath and got ready to attack. It doesn't matter if the odds are against him. He'd be damned before anyone took away his best friend. He bent his knees slightly and launched himself at the cloud ninja.

The Kumo shinobi on the other hand was impressed by the display of speed and the power behind the strikes as they exchanged blows. Thee weapons clanged and blurred as they tried to get past the other's defense. His attacker seemed to be young given his small height, probably a fresh genin. Even so, the boy managed to defeat two of his comrades. He did not want to take the boy lightly.

Naruto was able to keep up with his opponent but was unable to get past his guard. The cloud ninja was very skilled in using his short sword. He tried an overhead cut with his right kunai while his other hand thrust the weapon toward the ninja's abdomen. The cloud shinobi blocked the overhead cut with his sword and grabbed Naruto's left wrist before Naruto could stab him. The ninja then rammed his knee into Naruto's gut, effectively robbing him of breath and tossed the boy over his shoulder. Naruto slammed his back into a nearby tree.

The blonde boy got hastily back on his feet and tried to regain his breath. He was definitely outmatched. Naruto had to think of another way to defeat the ninja. Then, an idea popped into his head. If he could get close like that again…

Naruto charged at the enemy ninja who was waiting for him to make another move. Naruto swung his kunai in a horizontal cut but was blocked by the sword. Naruto did the same with his other kunai but was stopped once again as the ninja grabbed his wrist.

"Give it up brat, you're no match for me" The Kumo shinobi stated.

"Think again." Naruto responded calmly. Naruto dropped both of the kunais he was holding and the Cloud ninja's eyes widened as he saw something wrapped around the handles. Both knives had exploding tags placed on the handles. The shinobi let go of the boy and they both leaped backwards as the bombs detonated. An explosion shook the small clearing and a plume of smoke followed afterwards.

This gave Naruto the small window of opportunity he was aiming for. He flashed some hand signs and body flickered in front of the enemy ninja. Before the Kumo ninja could react, Naruto shouted: "Fuuton: Goukuuhou (Wind style: Great air cannon)!"

A huge sphere of wind blew from Naruto's mouth. The enemy ninja was hit with the full force of the jutsu as he was blasted backward, breaking a few trees in the process. He landed a good distance away and before he could get up, Naruto dashed toward him and placed a paralyzing seal on the shinobi. He then lay unmoving on the ground.

Once it was over, Naruto sighed in relief and leaned against a tree. Now that the adrenaline was fading, he felt exhausted. Still his task wasn't finished yet. He gauged the amount of chakra he had left and he estimated that he had enough to return to the village. He pushed himself off the tree and made his way towards his friend.

* * *

Hinata felt someone jostle her awake and her eyes fluttered open to see Naruto's face hovering close to hers.

"Good to see you awake Hinata-chan." Naruto said with a relieved smile on his face.

At first Hinata was confused. She was sitting on the ground leaning on a tree with Naruto crouched next to her. They were in a small clearing which was destroyed due to the battle that took place. Then her eyes landed on the three captive shinobi that were bound and unconscious. Suddenly, the events of what happened earlier came rushing back to her mind.

She sat up and frantically swiveled her head from side to side to find out where she was. A comforting hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Hey, take it easy. It's okay, you're safe now." Naruto assured her.

Hinata turned her attention to Naruto and realized that something was different about him. He wasn't wearing his normal orange jumpsuit. Instead, he was wearing a black jacket over a plain red shirt and blank pants. He also looked tired. She then glanced at the three shinobi and back at Naruto. Another realization dawned on her.

"You gave me a real scare Hinata-chan. When I found out you were kidnapped I-umph."

Naruto wasn't able to finish his sentence because Hinata had engulfed him in a tight hug. He also returned it and they stayed like that for a while. A few silent tears were streaming down her cheeks as she pressed her face into his shoulder.

Naruto chuckled slightly as he said. "You know Hinata-chan, you hug me a lot and I can barely finish what I was about to say."

She gave a small laugh and snuggled closer to his chest.

"You saved me." She whispered.

"Of course I did. I will always be there for you just like you were there for me." Naruto said sincerely.

A wave of happiness and relief washed over Hinata as she heard those words. It was said with so much certainty and honesty that she couldn't possibly doubt him. It warmed her heart to know that Naruto would always be looking out for her. They broke apart after a few minutes and Naruto helped her to her feet.

"Naruto-kun, what are you wearing?" Hinata asked curiously. To be honest, she has never seen him wear anything else except his bright orange clothing. Now, she had to admit that he looked better in black and red.

"Well, it's kind of a long story." Naruto admitted. "I'll tell you when we get back, I promise."

Hinata nodded and Naruto went over to the captive shinobi. She once again took stock of her surroundings and noticed all of the destruction. Several trees were broken and a crater could be seen in the middle of the clearing. She couldn't help but wonder what caused all of this.

"Naruto-kun, what happened here?" She asked.

"It's a part of the story that I will tell you when we get back." Naruto said. "Right now though, we should head to the village. Your dad is worried about you. He's looking for you now as we speak."

"Really, my father is looking for me?" In all of her life she had never received a single compliment from the man. It was hard to believe that he was out searching for her. Then again, Naruto isn't the type of person to lie.

Naruto nodded. "That's why we should let them know that you're alright."

Naruto summoned three shadow clones and Hinata saw them place some kind of seal on the shoulders of the three shinobi. Afterwards the clones placed each of them on their shoulders. They didn't appear to be heavy as the clones carried them lightly.

"It's a Counter Gravity seal." Naruto explained. "It reduces the effect of gravity on an object or person making them lighter to carry."

Before Hinata could say anything else, Naruto picked her up in a bridal carry. She made a small squealing sound when he did and blushed madly. Naruto told her to hang on tight and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Afterwards, Naruto began to dash toward the village followed closely by his clones.

* * *

Four hours have passed since Sarutobi dispatched the search parties for the captured Hyuuga heiress and none of his ninjas have reported any sign of her. They were still searching but it was beginning to look bleak. The Hokage was sitting in his office trying to calm a furious Hiashi.

The clan leader also partook in the search for his daughter but found no trace of her as well. The Hyuuga was pacing back and forth restlessly. Sarutobi had given up trying to reassure the man because he knew words would be futile. The only thing that Hiashi wanted was her daughter safe and unharmed.

Suddenly, the door to his office burst open as his assistant rushed in the room. "Hokage-sama!"

"What is it?" Hiruzen demanded. Before the assistant could answer a small figure ran into the office with tears in her eyes.

"Father!" Hinata cried as she rushed to Hiashi's open arms. The little girl clung tightly to her father's embrace and Hiashi stroked her hair, his composure of a strict and well disciplined clan leader forgotten for the moment as he held his daughter in his arms. Everyone in the room was silent except for Hinata's quiet sobs of relief.

Sarutobi then turned his attention to the assistant. "Who brought her in?"

The answer to his question was revealed when Naruto walked inside the office.

Naruto bowed respectfully to the Hokage. "Good evening Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen's raised his eyebrows as he noticed the calm and collected blonde boy in front of him. He was not the loud and impulsive prankster at the moment. The tone in his voice was official and business like. His expression was neutral but serious. Hiruzen could not help but think how much the boy resembled his father. He could almost swear that it was Minato standing in front of him.

Hiashi had already let go of his daughter but still held her hand as he also took note of the newcomer. He was surprised to see that it was the jinchuuriki of the nine-tails. This wasn't what surprised him though. Hiashi has heard a lot about the blonde young boy over the past few years. They say that he is a troublemaker, unruly, and hot-headed. That is one of the reasons why he disapproved of his daughter's friendship with the boy.

Now though, he was starting to wonder if everything he had been told about the boy was true because that wasn't the boy standing in the Hokage's office.

"Naruto, would you care to explain how you happen to find our missing Hyuuga heiress?" Hiruzen asked.

Naruto nodded and began recount the events of the previous hours. The Hokage listened intently, not wanting to interrupt. Inwardly he smiled at the boy's initiative to take action and couldn't help but feel pride in the boy when he told them how he defeated Hinata's captors.

Hinata on the other hand stared at Naruto in wonder. This wasn't the boy who would play pranks often or paint the hokage monument every other week. She felt like she was standing in a room with a different person. But somehow, she felt like she was seeing the real Naruto for the first time.

Naruto finished his recount and everyone in the room was silent for a moment.

"Well first off, Naruto, let me commend you for your fruitful efforts tonight." Hiruzen told him. "If it weren't for you then young Hinata would not be here tonight."

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Naruto said.

"Allow me to extend my thanks as well." Hiashi said.

Naruto turned to the Hyuuga clan leader and gave a respectful slight bow. "It is my pleasure Hiashi-sama. I would never allow my only closest friend to be put in harm's way."

Naruto gave Hinata a warm smile and she returned it with her own. Hiashi nodded in understanding. He then proceeded to head out of the Hokage's office with Hinata in tow.

"Father-," Hinata started to say but the clan leader held up a silencing hand to stop her.

"You may see him tomorrow when you are both fully rested." Hiashi said. "I'm sure that the Hokage has some things to discuss with the boy."

It took a moment for Hinata to decipher her father's words when it hit her: He was giving her permission to see Naruto. "Do you mean it father?"

Hiashi nodded and Hinata smiled in pure joy. She looked back at Naruto to see him smiling at her as well.

"I'll see you tomorrow Hinata-chan!" Naruto said cheerfully.

With that being said, Hinata allowed her father to lead her out of the office. She couldn't wait for tomorrow!

Naruto watched them leave and turned back toward the Hokage and regained his calm composure. He learned that when addressing to higher ranking people such as the Hokage, he needed to exercise proper respect.

"You can relax now, Naruto. I appreciate the effort of showing proper etiquette but I think we can make an exception for now." Hiruzen said while amusement was evident on his face.

Naruto sighed in relief. "You got it jiji."

The Sandaime chuckled. "I must say I'm impressed Naruto. All of your training has paid off."

Naruto stared at him with wide eyes. "You knew?"

"Of course I did," Hiruzen said. "Did you think that I wouldn't notice you sneaking out of the village all the time?"

"I was hoping that you wouldn't" Naruto admitted.

"Nonetheless, your actions today proved the excellent results of your training." Sarutobi praised. "To be able to defeat three high chunin ninjas at your age is a remarkable feat."

Naruto blushed a little at the praise he was receiving. "Maybe I got lucky."

"Don't sell yourself short Naruto." Sarutobi reassured the young boy. "What you accomplished tonight had nothing to do with luck. You displayed bravery, cunning and resourcefulness. These are only some of the traits that define a great shinobi."

Naruto scratched his head embarrassedly and smiled. "So does that mean you're ready to give me the position of Hokage jiji?"

Sarutobi chuckled. "I don't think so Naruto. You still have a long way to go before you can become Hokage."

"Now I believe that it is time for you to get home and rest. You've had a long night."

Naruto nodded and gave a wide yawn. "Sure thing, gramps. Oh and before I go I hope you can keep my training a secret if that's okay with you?"

The Sandaime smiled at the boy and winked at him. "I won't tell a soul. Good night Naruto."

"Good night jiji. See you tomorrow."

The boy left his office and Sarutobi looked at his crystal orb and saw Naruto walking out of the building before heading home. There was a vast untapped potential within him and had the makings of a great ninja. The Sandaime will have to discuss the breach of the mutual peace treaty with the Raikage about the events that have transpired. The three Kumo ninja are currently being interrogated by Ibiki.

Sarutobi sighed again as he slumped in his chair. "I am definitely too old for this."

* * *

**Okay before you say it I know some of you are thinking that this is really similar to how Minato and Kushina fell in love, but I really couldn't find any other way to do this chapter so bear with me. Also, tell me what you think of the action scenes and tell me if I need to improve on something. Again, please leave reviews and keep reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Let me just say, thanks again for all of your wonderful reviews. So here is the next chapter.**

* * *

Hinata rubbed her eyes as she sat up groggily from bed. Early morning sunlight was streaming from her window. She gave a wide yawn and stretched her arms. For some reason she felt incredibly happy. She didn't care or know why but she welcomed the sweet feeling. She smiled as she remembered dreaming about a certain young blonde.

The events of the previous night slowly came back as she got out of bed and tucked in the loose sheets. She still couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that Naruto had rescued her from three Kumo ninjas. Hinata blushed as she remembered Naruto carrying her back to the village in his arms like a princess. It was almost like a fairytale: The dashing young hero rushing in to save the damsel in distress. Hinata felt giddy at the thought.

She left the room and went through her morning routine to get ready to head toward the academy. She ate a quick breakfast and quickly got dressed. She grabbed her things and started to head out.

As she made her way to the gate, she saw her father waiting for her. Hinata bowed respectfully to the clan head. "Good morning, father."

"Good morning Hinata." Hiashi nodded. "I believe you have an escort waiting for you."

Hinata was confused as she followed her father's gaze. Her confusion turned into a delighted smile as she saw Naruto standing just outside of the compound. He saw her and gave her a wide grin and a friendly wave.

Her father cleared is throat and she turned her attention back to him. "Well, you better get going or you'll be late."

He paused and turned to leave before adding. "I was wrong about your friend. He is a far better person than the village makes him out to be. Just keep in mind that as my eldest daughter, you have a reputation and status to uphold."

He then left as Hinata tried to decipher her father's words. She shook her head and pushed the thoughts aside for a moment and walked up to greet Naruto.

"Good morning Naruto-kun." She greeted warmly.

"Good morning Hinata-chan." He replied with a smile. "I just thought that we could head to the academy together, if that's ok?"

"I would love to." She said.

The two began to walk toward class in companionable silence. Hinata for her part was thinking of a way to open up a conversation but didn't know what to say. Luckily for her, Naruto spoke first.

"So Hinata-chan, are you excited for another year at the academy?" He asked.

"Oh, yes. I can't wait to become a ninja!" Hinata said cheerily.

Naruto smiled at her enthusiasm and was just as excited as she was. "Yeah, just think, in just two more years, we're going to become genin. I'll have to put up with Iruka sensei's boring lectures but it'll be worth the wait!"

Hinata giggled. "We might even end up on the same team."

"I'd like that." Naruto said. He then took Hinata's hand in his, making the girl blush.

Then the two friends continued to walk hand in hand toward the ninja academy.

* * *

Naruto desperately tried to keep his eyes open and forced himself to pay attention to the lecture Iruka-sensei was giving about the brief history of the village. The only problem was that Naruto already knew how the leaf village was founded. He studied and read about history every week in his father's cabin. His boredom was eating him alive. Naruto covered his mouth to conceal a wide yawn.

He sketched some more doodles on his paper before turning his attention toward the girl seated beside him.

Hinata was jotting down some notes and was listening intently toward the lesson. Naruto found himself staring at her pale lavender eyes. He actually found them stunning and mesmerizing. Naruto often lost himself every time their eyes met.

The shy girl he met one year ago that fainted on the first day of the academy was beginning to find her way into his thoughts everyday now. She changed from back then when they started being friends. She would no longer stutter and faint whenever they did something together. She was gaining more confidence everyday but would still blush when she saw him.

Hinata held a great relevance in his life now. She was the first person that he befriended. Sure the Hokage, Iruka-sensei, and the people at the ramen shop cared and looked out for him but Hinata was his first friend. She was kind, sweet, and understanding. She alone made him feel hopeful and optimistic. The Hyuuga heiress could always see the good in people and make them feel more than what they are.

Naruto smiled in spite of himself. _She's like an angel._

Hinata caught him staring and he felt his face getting hot. He looked away to hide the redness in his cheeks while Hinata was blushing as well.

Coming to a decision, Naruto felt that it was time to tell her about what he really was.

* * *

After the break, Iruka-sensei announced for a sparring exercise. They gathered outside as the chuunin began to arrange the match ups. The first to go was Ino and Sakura.

The two girls stepped up in the circle, all the while glaring daggers at each other.

"You should just give up forehead!" Ino taunted. "I'm the one who'll win Sasuke-kun's heart."

"In your dreams Ino-pig!" Sakura retorted. "I'll be the one to have Sasuke-kun as a boyfriend!"

Iruka sighed as the two girls continued to bicker and raised his hand to start the match. "Begin!"

After five minutes the two girls went at it with the standard taijutsu but the match soon turned into a wrestling competition as the two girls continued arguing over who Sasuke likes more. Iruka put a stop to it immediately and called out the next pair.

"Shikamaru Nara versus Choji Akimichi."

The two boys didn't even bother to exchange blows. They both forfeited and Naruto had to hide a snicker as he saw Iruka's irritated face. He then called out the next pair and it went on like that for a while.

Hinata easily beat her opponent. Naruto congratulated her as she walked back to stand with him. Kiba was easily beaten by Shino because the Inuzuka charged in without thinking.

Finally, Naruto's name was called. "Naruto Uzumaki versus Sasuke Uchiha."

All of the fan girls encouraged and wished the Uchiha luck. As usual, the raven haired boy ignored them as he stepped in the circle.

"Good luck Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cheered.

"Do your best!" Ino shouted.

Naruto sighed as he began to walk toward the circle.

"Do your best, Naruto-kun." Hinata said. "I believe in you."

Naruto gave her a confident smile and entered the circle. He knew he was going to lose because he didn't want to showcase any of his skills yet. He wanted nothing more than to put the arrogant Uchiha in his place but he didn't think now was the best time to do so. He struck up the basic academy style stance and Sasuke did the same.

Iruka raised his hand before shouting. "Begin!"

The two boys faced each other for a moment before Sasuke charged with his fist cocked back. He was intending to finish the match with one blow and Naruto would openly take the hit. But it didn't happen like that.

Time slowed down for a moment and Naruto could feel his heart beating rapidly. His instincts from his recent battle with the cloud ninjas were still on edge and active. Instead of seeing Sasuke in front of him, he saw an enemy shinobi ready to take his head off.

His instincts took over against his will and time moved back normal. Naruto sidestepped the punch that Sasuke threw at him. The blonde grabbed the other boy's wrist and using his momentum, threw him over his shoulder. Sasuke landed on his back outside of the circle and everyone was stunned into silence.

_Damn it. _Naruto thought.

Iruka dropped his clipboard in shock as he watched the match. It surprised him that Naruto was able to defeat the top student of the class in record time.

Sasuke was in a similar state of surprise as he got back on his feet and turned toward his opponent. Naruto had beaten him effortlessly in one move. There was no way the dead last could have beaten him that easily.

Naruto was desperately trying to think of a way to cover up his display of skill. Fortunately, Sakura came up with a plausible reason.

"That was a fluke! There's no way Sasuke-kun would lose!" Sakura shouted. "Naruto got lucky!"

Ino agreed. "Yeah, Sasuke-kun can beat the dead last anytime he wants!"

Soon, most of the class believed the two and decided that it was indeed just a fluke. Sasuke soon recovered his snarky attitude and walked back into the building when Iruka-sensei announced the end of the sparring exercises. Naruto sighed in relief and was grateful for the quick save, although, not everyone was fooled by the deception.

Shikamaru frowned as he observed the blonde boy heading back inside with Hinata. He followed Choji back inside while still in deep thought. In all of their sparring matches, Naruto was never able to land a decent hit on Sasuke, much less win against him and yet only a while ago, the blonde was able to effortlessly defeat the top student in class. There was also something else. When Sasuke lost, the blonde had a look of panic in his eyes as if he'd been caught stealing. This was an intriguing and complex mystery.

_Troublesome_, the lazy genius thought. _Naruto's hiding something._

* * *

After class, Naruto and Hinata decided to head to their usual training grounds for some more practice. The place was empty so they had the whole space to themselves. Naruto was feeling nervous. He had brought Hinata here not to train but to explain to her about why the villagers treated him like they did. He knew that she was always curious about it but Naruto never gave her a straight answer. Now, he decided that she deserved to know the truth.

Not only was Naruto nervous, he was also afraid. He was afraid that when she knows that the Kyuubi that attacked the village ten years ago was sealed inside of him, she would stop being friends with him. Of course Naruto wouldn't hold it against her if she ran away screaming from him. Nobody wanted to be friends with a monster anyway.

He steeled himself and gathered all the courage he had.

"Hinata-chan, I need to tell you something." Naruto said hesitantly.

Hinata set down her school things under a nearby tree. "What is it, Naruto-kun?"

She turned to face the boy and found him fidgeting nervously. Naruto wouldn't meet her eyes.

She instantly knew that something was wrong. Naruto was never nervous. A cold feeling of dread crawled up her spine as she waited for Naruto to speak. She envisioned him saying that he didn't want to be friends with her anymore. Her heart ached at the very thought and she forced herself to choke down a sob.

"Well, Hinata-chan, I have a secret that I've only found out recently myself about an incident that happened ten years ago." Naruto said. "It's about why the villagers treat me like an outcast and a monster. Only the Hokage and a few others know about what I'm going to tell you because it is an S-rank secret."

Hinata felt a huge amount of relief that Naruto didn't end their friendship like she thought he would, but on the other hand she was curious about what he was going to tell her. She had asked him many times about why the villagers looked at him with hatred and disgust every time he walked past them on the street, but he kept avoiding the topic. She finally gets to know the reason.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto started slowly. "You know about the Kyuubi attack ten years ago and that the Fourth Hokage saved the village by killing it, right?"

"Yes, I remember." Although Hinata didn't know why he mentioned it or where he was going with this. "The Yondaime died killing the Kyuubi and was hailed as a hero."

Naruto nodded but he couldn't meet Hinata's eyes.

"Naruto-kun, what are you trying to say?"

It was now or never in Naruto's opinion.

"Hinata, the Yondaime didn't kill the Kyuubi that night. It is impossible to slay a bijuu, they can only be sealed." Naruto said. "The Fourth Hokage couldn't kill the Kyuubi so he sealed it into a child to prevent further destruction and to ensure the safety of the village."

At this point, Hinata had put two and two together and couldn't believe what she had just been told. She had her hands covering her mouth while tears were running freely down her face. The sadness she felt was overwhelming.

Naruto continued. "And so the boy became the new jinchuuriki for the nine-tailed fox. The Sandaime passed a law that forbade anyone to speak or mention it. The jinchuuriki was therefore shunned and hated by the rest of the villagers. He was always alone and only a few people actually treated him like a person. That's why I dreamed of becoming Hokage someday so that everyone will see that I'm not a monster and be acknowledged as a great ninja."

After he finished speaking, Naruto felt a pair of arms wrap around him in a tight embrace. Hinata pressed her face into his chest and sobbed quietly. The boy returned the hug and the two just held each other for a while. Naruto was grateful for her presence and felt like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders.

Hinata's sobs subsided a little bit after a few minutes and she just settled for basking in the warmth that her friend provided. She felt angry and sad about how Naruto had been treated all his life for something that was out of his control. Hinata had witnessed first hand what the villagers did to Naruto on his birthday. She was ashamed of her village for causing him so much pain and suffering.

And yet, despite his horrible and miserable childhood, Naruto was still able to hold on to his kind and caring nature. Instead of plotting revenge against who wronged him, he wants become a ninja and protect them. Hinata's feelings toward the boy seemed to have deepened by a large amount now. Her feelings of admiration were beginning to turn into something much more potent. Her heart was beating faster and faster just by being close to him.

"Naruto-kun, I'm sorry." Hinata said softly.

Naruto looked confused as he pulled back from the hug and stared at Hinata. "Why are you apologizing Hinata-chan? You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I do. I'm still too weak to protect those I care about from harm." Hinata told him. "I don't want to be weak anymore. I want to be strong so that I can be the one to protect you like you do for me. I'm so sorry Naruto-kun."

Hinata felt fresh tears flowing down her face as she looked down. Then she felt Naruto's hand gently lift her head to face him. She found herself staring into a pair of the bluest eyes she had ever seen. It was like looking into the sky or the sea where you could stare at it for hours on end. Behind them, his eyes held kindness, determination, and honesty.

"You don't need to apologize, Hinata-chan." Naruto said sincerely. "Strength isn't measured in jutsu or physical attributes. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for and by the way, you've saved me more times than I can count."

She could see that he meant every word.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." She said.

Naruto shook his head and chuckled. "No Hinata, it should be me thanking you."

* * *

Hinata was panting slightly as she struck up her gentle fist stance once again. Although, she wasn't breathing as heavily as her two sparring partners as they also struck up the clan's fighting stance. The two Hyuugas were reluctant to engage the clan heiress once more, but they had no choice. They would have to keep fighting until Hiashi, who was watching from the side, ended today's practice session.

Ko, who was also watching, signaled the spar to begin again. The two clan members launched into action as they both tried to get past Hinata's guard and land a hit. Unfortunately, they were unable to do so because even with two attackers, Hinata was able to block and defend with proficient grace. The three combatants had activated their Byakugan and continued to trade blows.

For the past two years, ever since Hinata learned the truth about Naruto's status as a jinchuuriki, she had requested the blonde to help her train and become stronger. Naruto agreed, but warned her that his kind of training would be difficult. Hinata didn't care as long as she was able to gain strength to protect her friend.

They trained every after school and during no school days. True to his word, Naruto's training was indeed difficult and exhausting. During there first two months, Naruto was forced to carry Hinata home after their sessions because of her lack of energy after training. Although it was a strenuous and long process, Naruto's training was paying off.

Hinata was surprised when Naruto was able to help her polish and improve her Gentle fist style. They would often spar at full force with neither one holding back. She always lost because she was never able to land one blow on her friend while she was battered up and bruised. Despite her inability to defeat the blonde in a spar, Naruto assured her that she was improving remarkably.

Naruto also trained her with ninjutsu, elemental affinities, and chakra control. They found out that her element was water so he taught her a few basic water based jutsus. He taught her how to walk on the vertical surface of a tree to walking on water. Of course, after she had mastered these exercises they took it up to another level by fighting on a vertical surface and on top of the water. She has gotten proficient in both but not once was she able to beat Naruto.

Her friend was a great teacher. He was knowledgeable, patient, and encouraging. He taught her many things about the life of a ninja and the roles they play. He answered her questions and supplied important information on things and such.

Despite their rigorous training schedule, it didn't mean they didn't have time for breaks every now and then. Every week, they would allot one day without training to rest and just hang out. Hinata found herself at Naruto's favorite ramen stand very often nowadays. She didn't mind of course as long as she got to spend time with Naruto.

Now, today was the day before the graduation. Tomorrow, they will be tested to see who will be given the rank of genin and become an official ninja. Naruto told her that he already taught her everything she needed to know and that she should find a way to get stronger even without his help. Her friend was also training at this moment, but she didn't know where or what kind of exercise he was doing.

Nevertheless, she would just have to wait for tomorrow to see him again. She seriously hoped that they would end up on the same team so that they could spend even more time together. Her affection for Naruto was growing with each passing day. She just couldn't gather the courage to tell him how she really felt. She promised herself that she would tell him after the graduation.

With a furious shout, she struck the two opponents with a series of fast blows and knocked them off of their feet. Hinata relaxed and let out a deep breathe. She bowed respectfully to her two sparring partners and the two did the same. Hinata turned to her father to see him do something she never expected.

Hiashi smiled and gave her an approving nod.

* * *

Naruto flexed his fingers as he breathed in the cool afternoon air. He felt jittery and excited but he had to remain calm. He spent the last two years training like there was no tomorrow for this. He gripped the tri-pronged kunai in his hand tightly as he prepared to start the timer.

During these past two years, Naruto trained more seriously than ever. After he had told Hinata the truth and after she requested him to train her, he pushed himself even harder to become a better ninja. He trained with his friend every after class or whenever they had spare time. She improved amazingly and Naruto was determined to not let her get past him because he also wanted to protect Hinata. He couldn't do that if she got stronger than him.

Ever since that day, Naruto had started to fall for the pale eyed girl. Why wouldn't he? She was sweet, caring, gentle, and kind. She was always supporting him and was always there when he needed her. At some point, he kept finding himself staring at the Hyuuga heiress and wondered why his heart was always beating faster when she was around. She had always looked cute, but as time passed and in Naruto's opinion, she was becoming breathtakingly beautiful.

He made a promise to himself that he would tell her how he feels after the graduation tomorrow. He had to tell her.

Right now though, he needed to focus.

His training was far from over, but Naruto had progressed by amazing leaps and bounds. He might even be considered a prodigy had he shown his skills, but he decided not to. He's learned a great deal, but has a longer way to go.

_Acknowledge your own skills and prowess but never get overconfident. However powerful you think you might be, even the greatest can fall._

His ninjutsu skills and taijutsu have improved to high jonin level. His mastery of his element was outstanding. His taijutsu was also improving to the point where he had created several counters to different known fighting styles. Dispelling powerful genjutsu and illusions have become rather easy for him. Naruto's mind was as sharp and clever as a seasoned tactician. His body had been toned and muscled over the years of tough and constant training. He now had a lean and muscular build as well as a growth spurt.

His skills in fuinjutsu have increased over the two years. He had a remarkable knack for the skill and was proficient as a novice seal master. He has created several useful seals over the past two years and improved a few of the existing ones by tweaking it a little.

Now, he was finally ready for his father's high level fuinjutsu: The Hiraishin.

Five of his father's kunais were positioned in five different locations. His task was to eliminate the straw dummy that was close to it and retrieve the kunai. Also, he had to do this within the time space of just twenty seconds. He needs to be quick, agile and decisive.

Naruto tossed the kunai he was holding high above his head. He pressed the start on the timer before disappearing with a yellow flash.

Naruto teleported to the first kunai, it was stabbed into the ground next to a straw dummy in a crouch. In one fell swoop, he grabbed the kunai and beheaded the target before flashing to the next location.

The next one was embedded in a tree trunk. Naruto grabbed the handle of the knife with his other free hand while he stabbed the dummy with the kunai from before. As soon as he did, Naruto yanked the kunai from the wood and teleported to the next kunai.

The third was placed up on a high branch with the target on another tree. Naruto appeared on the branch next to the knife. He threw one of the kunai he was holding toward the dummy perched on another tree. He quickly grabbed the third dagger and placed it in a holster before flashing to the one he just threw and chopped of the head of the straw dummy. After he did he placed the dagger in another holster, leaving him with one in his right hand before teleporting to the next.

The fourth kunai was placed in a small clearing with two target dummies on the opposite ends. Naruto appeared next to the kunai and took it out of the ground with his left hand. He threw the one on his right toward the target in front of him and the knife on his left toward the one behind him. Naruto used the Hiraishin to teleport to the first kunai he threw and stabbed the dummy before placing the knife in a third holster and flashing toward the second kunai.

He appeared next to the sailing dagger and grabbed it in mid-air before cutting the dummy in half. Afterwards, he used the Hiraishin to teleport next to the last kunai.

The last part was a tricky one. The kunai was embedded in the ground next to the lake. The target dummy was positioned in the middle of the calm body of water. Naruto threw the kunai in his hand toward the target and picked up the one on the ground. As soon as he heard the kunai he threw nail the target, he quickly teleported next to it and grabbed it before flashing back to where the timer was placed.

Naruto dropped one of the kunai he was holding to catch the one he threw into the air earlier just before it hit the ground and he pressed the stop button on the timer.

Naruto gave himself a moment to catch his breath before he surveyed his handiwork. He checked the timer and he gave himself a congratulatory smile. He completed the exercise in nineteen seconds.

He then placed all of his father's tri-pronged kunai in a storage seal where he had thirty more, although he kept one in a holster next to his normal kunai holder. He always made sure that one of them was ready for instant usage. Of course, he would only use the technique in a life and death situation.

Naruto couldn't help but grin at his accomplishment as he placed the storage scroll in his pouch. He had three storage scrolls in his pouch. One held an emergency first aid kit, a set of spare clothes, and some rations. The second one held an entire set of shuriken, kunai, ninja wire, explosive tags, and smoke bombs. The third contained thirty of his father's kunai.

He had finally mastered the Hiraishin, one of the Yondaime's most legendary jutsus, the jutsu that single-handedly defeated an army of Iwa shinobi that granted Minato Namikaze the "Flee on sight" order in the bingo books.

The grin never left Naruto's face as he headed back toward the village.

"I can't wait for the graduation tomorrow."

* * *

**Okay that's the fourth chapter. I hope the revelation scene was good enough. And I hope that Naruto's training exercise with the Hiraishin wasn't too confusing. Well, as always, tell me what you think and leave reviews. Oh, and I might not be able to update as fast because school is going to start and I'm going to be busy again so bear with me. Catch you guys later.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hell, yes! A hundred and thirty reviews. Thanks guys! You have no idea how much I appreciate this. Alright, now that I managed to catch a break from schoolwork, back to the story.**

* * *

Naruto woke up before his alarm clock went off and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he sat up on his bed. It took him a moment to realize the date today and the moment he did, Naruto shot out of bed to get ready. He summoned a clone to get breakfast started while he took a quick shower and brushed his teeth. When he was done, he put on his new clothes. He attached his ninja gear and slipped on his black jacket.

He grinned as he saw the kanji for fire written on the back of his jacket in bright red. He had Hinata to thank for that. She thought that his knew clothes needed some more detail to it and said that it was too plain. Hinata was skilled in with a needle and sewing materials, so she quickly added the symbol of fire. He had to admit that it looked better and couldn't help but notice the similarities it had with his father's own cloak that had Fourth Hokage written on the back.

Naruto's smile grew wider as he thought about the Hyuuga heiress. He couldn't wait to see her.

He stepped into the kitchen and dispersed the clone who had prepared a small breakfast for him. He began to eat the scrambled eggs, toast, porridge, and milk. He limited his consumption of ramen because it was unhealthy and Hinata said that he needed a bigger variety of food but that didn't stop him from consuming nearly twenty bowls at Ichiraku's. He only ate his favorite food every twice a week nowadays.

He put the dishes in the sink for now, he would wash them later. Right now, he was too excited and was itching to head to the academy. He won't be hiding or holding back anymore. Why should he? Today, he was graduating to become a full fledged ninja of the village. He trained himself into the ground for this moment. He was more than prepared. Besides, whoever would be his assigned teammates will eventually find out his true abilities sooner or later so why wait?

Naruto got to the door but stopped himself. He grinned as he got a better idea and headed to the window instead. He stared out and viewed the scene of the village. It was a perfect day.

With that thought in mind, Naruto leaped from his bedroom window and began to dash among the rooftops of the village.

* * *

Hinata sat at the back of the classroom and looked around nervously. Naruto hasn't arrived yet and she also couldn't wait to see him. She hoped that she was ready for the challenge that lies before her. The pale-eyed girl promised herself that she would confess her feelings toward the blonde jinchuuriki today after they got their headbands but could she really do it? She didn't stutter anymore or faint as much when she first started hanging out with Naruto but she was always nervous around him and could never stop blushing whenever he was around. Hinata guessed that the reason she was always so nervous was because she wanted to be something more than his friend but couldn't muster the courage to tell him.

_No more hiding. Just tell him how you feel._

But that was what she was afraid of. What if Naruto didn't feel the same way? What if he rejected her and ruined their friendship? She couldn't even bare the thought of losing him as a friend.

The rest of the students were the same as always and haven't changed a bit over the years. Kiba was as loud and brash as ever. The Inuzuka boy was currently playing fetch with his dog, Akamaru. He would roll a small rubber ball around the classroom and the little dog would chase it and return it to Kiba.

Shikamaru was dozing off as usual and Choji was contentedly munching on a bag of chips. Shino was as quiet and mysterious as ever, sitting alone on the right hand corner of the classroom. The quiet boy was generally avoided because of his clan who were renowned bug users. Hinata often saw him observing ant hills and beehives when they were younger. Despite this, the boy was never rude or antisocial like Sasuke. He would respond politely enough when spoken to but only in a few words and never more than one sentence.

The lone Uchiha was brooding as always, staring out the window with a scowl on his face. He effectively ignored his fan girls who were ogling him and trying to get his attention. Sakura and Ino were his biggest fans and they were currently arguing over who would sit next to the only spot next to "Sasuke-kun". The said boy only grunted before going back to his own dark thoughts. Hinata never knew why they liked him so much while Sasuke never even spared them a glance.

Then another person entered the classroom and Hinata's face lit up in a smile and she could feel her heart beating faster as soon as he entered the room.

Naruto stepped inside the classroom with a grin on his face and his hands inside his pockets. Hinata noticed that he chose to wear his other set of clothes that she saw him in on a few rare occasions. She was curious to know why he chose to wear it now though.

Everyone noticed the newcomer but they had to do a double take as they saw him. At first, they didn't recognize the boy in black and red. The girls all blushed when they saw how hot and good looking the boy was. Even Sakura and Ino stopped bickering for a moment and felt their faces turn pink as they saw him. Then, everyone began to notice the familiar blonde hair, blue eyes and whisker marks on his cheeks…

"NARUTO?"

Hinata's ears were ringing as everyone shouted in disbelief. Shikamaru was jolted awake by the sound and muttered something about his sleep. His eyes landed on the blonde however and narrowed suspiciously.

Naruto on the other hand just offered a small smile and raised a hand in greeting. "Hey guys, how's it going?"

He was decked out in a new outfit that was way better than his horrible baggy jumpsuit. In fact, they concealed most of his appearance and the girls thought that it didn't do him any justice. His new clothes weren't very tight but it was enough to show the lean and toned body Naruto had. They had to admit, he now rivaled Sasuke in looks.

Naruto didn't notice all of the stares they were giving him as he found the girl he was looking for. His smile widened as he saw Hinata and began making his way toward her.

"What's up Hinata-chan?" Naruto greeted. "I like your new look but I think you look pretty in anything."

Hinata blushed at the compliment. She was also wearing a new set of clothes. She got rid of her bulky jacket and traded it for a white blouse over a more fitting lavender jacket with no hood. She also wore a pair of tight shorts that reached just above her knee. Her new attire also revealed the curvy figure she had thanks to all of her training. This drew many admiring looks from the boys and very jealous stares from the girls.

"Thank you. You like nice as well Naruto-kun." She said as Naruto slid into the seat next to her.

"So, you ready for this?" Naruto asked.

Hinata gave a nod. "Yes and it's all because of your help that I got this far, Naruto-kun."

Naruto surprised her by shaking his head while smiling. "No, Hinata-chan. You did all of that by yourself. I only gave you advice and taught you how to improve. Don't sell yourself short Hinata-chan. You're an amazing person and I 'm really glad that you're my friend."

Hinata blushed at the praise she rarely received. Her father approved of her recent improvement in training, but never complimented her. Everyone else praised her because of her status as a member of the Hyuuga clan and future clan head. They never saw her for who she was. Only one person treated her like an equal.

"Naruto-kun…"

Then, Naruto started fidgeting nervously himself and gulped. "Umm, Hinata-chan, I was wondering if maybe, I don't know, you'd like to go-,"

"All right class, settle down!" Whatever Naruto was about to say was cut off when Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei entered the classroom. The students returned to their respective seats and Iruka began to check the attendance.

"What were you saying Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked curiously. It sounded important.

"I'll tell you later." Naruto said with a slight sigh of disappointment.

Hinata dropped the subject for now but couldn't help but wonder what it was that Naruto wanted to tell her. He looked a bit anxious but it wasn't because of the upcoming genin exam she knew. For a moment, it sounded like Naruto was asking her…

_No, that's ridiculous. Why would he ask me out on a date?_

She stole a glance at him and saw him staring at the desk hard while tapping his foot repeatedly. She had no idea what was bothering her friend so much but she decided to wait for him to explain. Iruka then began to explain how the test will be divided into four parts: The written exam, accuracy test, taijutsu, and ninjutsu.

* * *

The students chattered to themselves as they headed outside for the accuracy and taijutsu test. Naruto hated written tests and was relieved when it ended. Iruka had everyone line up as they prepared for the kunai and shuriken accuracy part of the exam. They were tasked with nailing the standard targets with five of each of the weapons.

Choji was the first up and managed to nail six out of ten. Shikamaru barely got one as he was too lazy to throw properly. Iruka sighed at the boy's lack of energy and called the next student. Sakura managed to get four of the targets while Ino got five. Shino only missed one of the targets and so did Hinata. Kiba missed two of the targets.

Sasuke, being the arrogant Uchiha that he was threw all of the projectiles simultaneously and got a perfect ten. The boy was always a little bit of a show-off. Finally, it was Naruto's turn.

Naruto stepped up and picked up the weapons and prepared to throw them. Iruka prayed silently that he would at least get a passing grade. The Naruto surprised them all by turning around and throwing the weapons simultaneously just like Sasuke did but with one slight difference. He threw them all backward.

Everyone's jaw hit the ground as Naruto nailed all of the targets without looking. He turned around and gave himself an approving nod as he walked back to stand next to Hinata who was giggling at her friend's antics.

"Naruto-kun, I think that was a bit too much, don't you think?" Hinata asked.

The blonde responded with a sly grin. He leaned in close to her and whispered. "They haven't seen anything yet."

Hinata shook her head but could not stop smiling. Her Naruto-kun would always be a prankster at heart and he just loved to mess with people whenever he got the chance.

Iruka was still in a state of disbelief, shock, and pride. His student was able to hit all of the targets perfectly without looking. What's more is that the student was Naruto, the class-clown and prankster who couldn't even hit more than two shuriken and kunai. However he quickly shook himself from the surprised stupor.

"Well done, Naruto!" enormous pride was evident in Iruka's voice as he praised the blonde. He always knew that the boy was just a late bloomer and would eventually turn into a fine ninja one day. "That was an excellent display of accuracy. Now we must move on to the taijutsu part of the exam."

All of the students just nodded dumbly as they still couldn't get over the fact that Naruto managed to ace the accuracy test.

"What the hell?" Kiba shouted in confusion. "When did Naruto become so good with kunai? Last I checked he couldn't even hit the side of a house if he had a hundred shuriken."

Shino just remained silent but his gaze however lingered on the blonde with newfound interest and curiosity.

Shikamaru just sighed. "Troublesome."

"Hm? What's wrong Shika?" Choji inquired as he noticed his friend's audible sigh.

"Naruto's finally shown himself." Shikamaru told him.

"What do you mean?" Sometimes, Choji wished that his friend would take the time to explain. He wasn't as smart as the Nara boy and Shikamaru often left him in the dust when it came to tactics or things that require a brain to solve.

The lazy genius pointed at the blonde boy who was telling Hinata a joke. "Since when did Naruto manage to get a perfect mark in shuriken and kunai practice? If I remember correctly, the most targets he could actually hit were only four. Now all of a sudden he could hit all of the targets without even looking? Something doesn't add up. Nobody can just improve dramatically overnight. So that means…"

"Naruto has managed to keep his real abilities hidden from everyone this whole time." It was Shino who finished the theory. He walked up to them and stood beside Shikamaru to observe their blonde classmate. He couldn't help but overhear their conversation and has come to the same conclusion himself.

Shikamaru regarded the boy with a respectful but lazy nod of his head. "It seems like it."

"Although, it looks like someone else already knew of Naruto's true potential." Shino said and subtly gestured toward Hinata who was giggling at a joke Naruto told her. Shikamaru nodded again.

Choji was scratching his head as he tried to catch up. "So you're saying that Naruto's a better ninja than he lets on?"

The two other boys nodded.

"Well, it looks like things will start getting interesting from now on." Shikamaru smirked a little bit. "I've never been much of a gambling man but I bet that Naruto will score the highest out of all of us."

Shino silently agreed and Choji just shrugged as the instructors were now preparing for the taijutsu test.

Another boy overheard the conversation and scoffed. Sasuke turned his attention to his blonde classmate and studied him. He was acting differently from the loud, boisterous, and orange loving knucklehead he used to be. He was calmer and more confident than usual. His smile was never lost and Sasuke could see something new in the boy's eyes: Intelligence.

Sasuke pushed the thoughts away for now as he remembered his real goal.

_Naruto's not important right now. Even if he did get stronger, there's no way he can beat me. I have to get stronger if I ever hope to kill HIM. Just wait brother, your time will come and I'll avenge the Uchiha for what you did._

* * *

"Alright, next up is Hinata Hyuuga." Iruka announced. It was time for the taijutsu part of the exam. The objective was relatively simple. All you had to do was to last at least five minutes in the sparing circle with Mizuki-sensei as the opponent. If you manage to stay within the circle in that amount of time then you pass. You lose however if you submit or get thrown out of the circle and will only receive a meager grade. So far, only few got any noticeable marks during the test phase.

Choji was able to last for three minutes before he got thrown out of the circle. Shikamaru didn't even bother to fight and threw in the towel as soon as Iruka-sensei started his match. Sakura was mostly book smart and wasn't really that strong since she had started dieting to hopefully gain Sasuke's attention. She tried her best but in the end, she was knocked out of the circle in less than two minutes. Ino wasn't any better since, like Sakura, all she ever tried was to get the Uchiha to notice her and get a date with him. Kiba and Shino got in four minutes before they stepped out of the circle.

Sasuke of course, managed to go toe to toe with Mizuki-sensei and was the first to last the longest out of everyone. The girls all cheered and shouted praise at his accomplishment.

"Sasuke-kun is so cool!" One of them gushed.

"Sasuke-kun is the best!" Sakura shouted.

Ino nodded in agreement. "If anyone will be Rookie of the year, it'll be Sasuke-kun!"

Shikamaru just sighed at how the girls were acting. "Troublesome. Why do girls have to be so loud?"

Ino abruptly bopped him on the head. "Shut up you lazy jerk!"

Hinata hesitated for a bit but then she felt Naruto give her hand a comforting squeeze.

"You'll do great, Hinata-chan." He gave her one of his trademark confident grins that always made her heart flutter inside.

She nodded and took her place in the circle a few feet away from Mizuki-sensei. Hinata struck up her gentle fist stance as she waited for Iruka sensei to begin the match.

"Begin!"

The fight that took place consisted mostly of Mizuki unleashing a set of attacks but never even came close to hitting Hinata. The pale-eyed girl used her fluid movements to dodge the older chunin's onslaught of kicks and punches. Naruto smiled as he couldn't help but admire her graceful swing of her arms or legs as she moved to dodge a roundhouse kick from Mizuki. This was the result of all their hard training over the past two years and he was greatly impressed. She looked like she was dancing some sort of ballet that was so natural that it was mesmerizing to watch.

Most of the students were also admiring Hinata's strange movements to dodge the attacks. Eventually, her time was up and she dropped her pose as she bowed toward Mizuki sensei who was looking a little winded.

"Way to go, Hinata-chan!" Naruto cheered. The girl blushed a little bit at hearing Naruto's praise.

"Great job Hinata." Iruka said. He was pleased to know that at least one kunoichi was taking her training seriously instead of obsessing over one boy. He marked down her score and called out the last student. "Naruto Uzumaki."

"Good luck Naruto-kun." Hinata said as Naruto made his way to the circle. He shot her a smile and entered the circle.

"This is going to be good." Shikamaru muttered.

Naruto stood a few feet away from a very smug looking Mizuki. The blonde smirked as he realized that Mizuki sensei was probably underestimating him and still saw him as the dead last who couldn't even hope to pass the genin test. Well, he would just have to prove him wrong.

"I hope you're ready sensei." Naruto said as he assumed a fighting stance. "I won't just pass. I'll beat you."

Mizuki snorted. "Don't get too confident there gaki."

The smirk never left Naruto's face. Iruka brought down his hand to signal the match. "Begin!"

Mizuki wasted no time and rushed at Naruto the moment it started. The boy was ready however and waited for the last minute.

Naruto dodged Mizuki's first punch that was aimed at his head and blocked the follow up roundhouse kick from his right side. Then, the chunin instructor threw another punch at his head and the blonde boy fell into a crouch to avoid the blow. What happened next was Naruto using both of his legs to push off from the ground and slammed his right knee under Mizuki's chin. The forceful blow lifted the chunin off his feet but he managed to stay in the sparring circle and staggered slightly.

The blonde boy was already in his fighting stance while Mizuki was rubbing the part of his jaw that Naruto hit. He shook his head to rid himself of the slight daze he experienced and also assumed his fighting stance.

"Nice moves, Naruto." Mizuki told him. Although he said it with a calm tone and carefree smile, he couldn't keep the slight irritation and nervousness from being heard.

"Thanks, Mizuki-sensei." Naruto replied. The boy picked up on the slight hesitation in his voice but didn't know why. He shrugged it off for now.

Mizuki charged again but this time he was more wary of the blonde's taijutsu skills and proceeded with caution. The two began to exchange blows as the chunin tried to get past Naruto's guard. However, Naruto easily deflected and dodged all of Mizuki's attacks and was beginning to get the feel of his attack style and pattern. It was then that Naruto decided to end the match.

Mizuki tried to use a feint by pretending to aim a kick at him but threw a punch instead. Naruto countered easily enough by grabbing the instructor's wrist and twisting his arm into a submission hold. Mizuki grunted in pain as the blonde twisted his arm behind his back and delivered a chop to the back of his knees which made him collapse to the ground. The next thing he knew was that he was laying face-first on the ground while Naruto kept him in a firm submission hold with a foot planted on his back.

The blonde smiled down at him.

"I win this one Mizuki-sensei." Naruto said good-naturedly. No matter how hard the chunin struggled, he couldn't escape the blonde's firm hold on him.

"I yield." Mizuki grudgingly said.

Naruto let go of the instructor and turned to see the shocked faces of his classmates. Iruka almost dropped his clipboard. He resisted the urge to snicker at their expressions and chose to reclaim his place beside Hinata.

"Great job Naruto-kun." Hinata said. She was happy that her friend not only managed to pass but was also able to force Mizuki to submit. They were now a shoe in for the promotion to genin and Hinata desperately hoped that they be placed together on the same team.

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. "Thanks, Hinata-chan."

Iruka was pinching himself repeatedly to convince himself that he wasn't dreaming or under some kind of hallucination. Naruto, who was the least likely student to be promoted to genin, was able to ace the accuracy exam and defeat his fellow chunin in a taijutsu match. Granted that Mizuki wasn't going all out but Naruto had defeated him with such ease that the scarred chunin wondered if the boy was holding back as well.

"Excellent work Naruto." Iruka said after a moment. He smiled proudly at the boy and told everyone to go inside for the ninjutsu part o the test.

Mizuki on the other hand was fuming. He got his ass handed to him by a boy who wasn't even a ninja yet! Other than that, he could feel his plan starting to crumble away. He originally planned for Naruto to steal the forbidden scroll after he failed and convinced the boy that it was a part of the test. Obviously he wouldn't be able to use him now as he had a high chance to pass. He would just have to steal the scroll himself and deliver it to Orochimaru.

* * *

"Did you just see what I saw?" Sakura asked. "Naruto beat Mizuki-sensei like it was nothing!"

Ino nodded. "I know, right? It's hard to believe that he's the same orange loving prankster from back then."

The two girls now wore their new Konoha forehead protectors as they waited outside the academy for Sasuke to see if he wanted to celebrate and get something to eat. Of course, the two bickered over who Sasuke liked more and who would end up as the boy's true love. Thankfully the two got tired of arguing and decided on another topic for the moment.

"And what's with the sudden change of outfit?" Ino wondered. "Not that I'm complaining. Naruto's gotten much more attractive without the ungodly orange."

Sakura turned on her friend. "Are you betraying Sasuke-kun for Naruto?"

"Of course not!" Ino defended. "Sasuke-kun will always be the best. I was just curious that's all."

Suddenly, Choji and Shikamaru exited the academy with their new forehead protectors that signified their promotion.

"I can't believe it, you actually passed?!" Ino exclaimed and pointed at Shikamaru.

"Do you have to be so loud?" Shikamaru complained. "I swear I could hear your voices from a mile away."

This earned him two punches from both girls. The Nara heir was left grumbling about screeching banshees. The two girls decided to ignore him and get back on topic.

"Besides, haven't you noticed how he was acting earlier?" Ino asked. "He was able to keep his mouth shut for a whole hour."

Sakura looked thoughtful. "Now that you mention it, he was pretty tame today."

"There's much more to it than that." Shikamaru decided to take part in the conversation. "Naruto's been holding back a lot more than you can imagine. Face it, how can someone like Naruto, who practically failed at everything in the academy, suddenly take down a chunin instructor and hit all of the standard targets with no sweat?"

Ino huffed. "Speak for yourself you lazy jerk, you're just one spot behind Naruto in the class rankings."

"It's because everything's so tiring. If I had my way, I would just skip school and cloud watch all day but my mother would yell at me non-stop." Shikamaru shuddered a little bit. "I would rather go to school than face _that._"

"If it were up to me," Choji spoke up with his mouth full of chips. "I would be eating all of the barbequed pork I could all day long."

"Food is always on your mind Choji!" Ino said. "I feel sorry for the one that ends up on the team with either one of you two."

Oh Irony.

The small group heard the door to the academy open and Sasuke walked out with his new hita-ite wrapped around his head. The boy had his usual arrogant attitude as he ignored the two girls who began to pester him.

"Sasuke-kun, I knew you could do it!" Sakura cheered. "Do you want to go out and celebrate our promotion together?"

"No way, if anyone should go out with Sasuke-kun, it should be me!" Ino said heatedly. "How about it Sasuke-kun, want to go out?"

The boy just grunted and continued to ignore him while he started to head home, leaving him to his darker thoughts.

_I'm one step closer to becoming stronger. Just a little more and I'll be ready to kill you, brother._

The raven-haired boy disappeared around the next corner and left Ino and Sakura in a disappointed state. Of course, it didn't last long and they began to blame each other for why their crush didn't respond to them.

"See, what you did Sakura?" Ino accused. "Sasuke-kun thinks you're too clingy and now he doesn't want to go out with either of us."

The pink-haired girl turned on her friend. "You were just as bad Ino-pig!"

"Forehead!" the blonde retorted for a lack of a better comeback.

The two were so caught up in their argument and Shikamaru and Choji already left to head home that they failed to notice Hinata exit the academy who also graduated and walk up to her father who was waiting nearby.

"Well done on becoming a ninja." Hiashi said in an emotionless voice.

Hinata bowed slightly. "Thank you father,"

It wasn't much of a compliment but it was something. Hiashi turned to leave. "Come, we must head back to the compound."

Hinata fidgeted a bit nervously. "Actually father, I would like to wait for Naruto-kun."

Hiashi looked at his daughter and raised his eyebrows. She looked at him with pleading eyes and Hiashi sighed. There was something that he needed to talk to her about his concerns about the blonde jinchuuriki when they got home. Even without his Byakugan, he could see that his daughter was beginning to spend more time and grow closer to her friend with each passing day. He would explain everything to her later.

"Very well, but be home before eight. There is something I must discuss with you."

Hinata smiled brightly at her father. "Thank you father!"

Hiashi nodded and headed for the Hyuuga compound. He has never seen his daughter so happy before. Her mother's death took a great impact on the girl's personality and turned her into the shy and timid girl she was today. He worried for her a while but didn't show it. Instead he wanted her to become strong and overcome her doubts so that one day, she may take over as the respectful clan head. His daughter failed to improve for a time being and Hiashi had almost given up hope.

Then, out of nowhere, this mysterious boy who was hated by the whole village was the solution to his problem all along. He gave her daughter the strength to reach her true potential and always managed to pull her out of her own doubts. Hiashi didn't miss the look Hinata gets when she sees the blonde. It was obvious that his daughter was beginning to fall for Naruto.

Funny, he thought. The heiress to one of the most respected clans in Konoha falls for the village outcast. Then again, if circumstances have been kinder, perhaps things might have turned out better for the boy. After all, he was technically a prince in the village.

He stopped in his tracks for a moment and gazed at the Hokage monument. The giant stone head of the Yondaime gazed down upon the village. Hiashi of course knew the truth about Naruto's true parentage. Hiashi was no fool, even he could see the similarities between the Fourth and his son. Plus, his late wife was a friend of the Hokage's own spouse and he himself had fought beside the man during missions and war. Back then, Minato Namikaze wasn't known as the hokage but as Konoha's Yellow Flash.

Hiashi sighed. _I wonder how it would have turned out if you survived that night._

* * *

**Alright, I hope this makes up for some of the long time it took to update. I'm going to skip the Mizuki incident because Naruto already knows about the Kyuubi and already knows how to do the Kagebunshin so it won't have as much impact. So, next chapter is a date with Naruto and Hinata! But what was the thing Hiashi wanted to talk to Hinata about? I'll try and update this one quickly in between schoolwork. Leave your reviews and tell me what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright, time for the next chapter. Man, schoolwork just keeps piling up and I barely get any time to write. Well, I hope this makes up for the long wait.**

* * *

Hinata frantically threw pieces of clothes after clothes behind her as she tried to find something suitable to wear. It was times like these when she wished she could have asked Ino or Sakura for some advice about fashion and what boys found attractive. Cursing silently, she threw away another blouse that she thought was too plain. She definitely needed to allot some time to go clothes shopping for special occasions such as these.

"_Would you like to go out on a date with me tomorrow, Hinata-chan?"_

Hearing those words brought out a wide and ridiculously happy smile to her face. Even thinking about it was enough to make her blush and make her heart beat faster. She felt extremely giddy and excited. She would be meeting up Naruto later this afternoon at their usual training ground for their first and real date.

It took a huge and conscious effort for her to prevent herself from fainting when he had asked her out.

"Onee-san, you're making a huge mess." Her younger sister Hanabi stated.

Hanabi was currently sitting on her sister's bed as she threw away another set of clothes that her sister deemed unworthy. The younger Hyuga sibling rolled her eyes at her sister's antics. She didn't know why Hinata was so nervous. Hanabi has deduced that it was all because of some boy her sister probably liked. Obviously it was the blonde and whiskered boy that she saw with her sister most of the time.

Hanabi scrunched up her nose in distaste. She never really understood the concept of relationships. Of course, she was still only seven years old and she still hasn't matured enough to find anything attractive about the opposite sex. To her, boys were loud and stupid like her classmate, Konohamaru. All they wanted to do was to prove who was better at this or that and Hanabi found it irritating.

The younger Hyuga sibling picked up a piece of littered clothing next to her and held it up for inspection. "What about this one Nee-san?"

Hinata paused to look at it for a moment and shook her head. "It's too casual. I'm looking for something that makes me look good but I don't want him to think I'm overdressed either."

The younger Hyuga sibling sighed as she put the blouse on top of the discarded clothes pile. "If you don't pick out something to wear soon, you'll be late for your _date._"

"I know!" Hinata nearly screamed in frustration.

The two siblings have gotten on better terms with each other recently. Ever since, Hinata was able to beat Hanabi for the first time a couple of months ago, the younger sibling could finally acknowledge her sister's superior skill. They could talk more freely now and spent a lot of time with each other besides Juuken practice.

Hinata was elated by the fact that she and Hanabi were talking again. Over the years, her younger sister saw her as unworthy and shared the same belief with the elders that she was not the ideal future clan head. Now though, her sister was finally able to see her in a new light and as someone to look up to. She was grateful that the two of them would be able to make up for the lost time they were distant from each other.

"Well, one thing's for certain." Hanabi said as she stood from the bed.

"What's that?" Hinata asked curiously. She stopped and turned to face her sister for a moment.

Hanabi smiled. "We definitely need to do something about your wardrobe. Promise me you'll take me with you if you plan on buying new clothes okay?"

"Of course," Hinata said, smiling as well.

Hanabi held up her right pinkie finger and Hinata wrapped her own around it.

"It's a deal." Hanabi said. "Oh, I almost forgot that I had Juuken practice today with father. I'll see you later nee-san."

She watched her younger sister leave the room and stared at the door for a moment longer. She couldn't believe how her life did a complete one-eighty in the span of a few months. Her relationship with her sister was improving with each passing day. All of her training was starting to pay off and now her father acknowledges her. Most of all, she was finally going on a date with Naruto! The thing she dreamed of doing with the blonde was finally a reality.

Then, out of nowhere, her father's words from yesterday came crashing on her like a landslide.

"_Hinata, you must forget about Naruto. You can still be his friend but nothing more than that. I know that this is not what you want to hear but I will explain the reason behind this…"_

* * *

"That was so cool boss!" Konohamaru exclaimed as ran to catch up with Naruto. Ever since he left the Hokage tower to get his ninja id taken, the kid's been following him around and worshipping like he was a super cool idol or something.

Naruto cursed silently as Konohamaru caught up with him. The kid just came barging in the Hokage's office followed by a jonin he had never seen before while he and the Sandaime were catching up on a few things. The young Sarutobi didn't even make it five steps before he tripped over his own lengthy scarf and landed face-first on the floor. The young boy then blamed him for sabotaging his attempt to "surpass" his grandfather and become hokage himself.

The blonde boy just scoffed at him and told him that just because he was the hokage's grandson didn't mean that he should get any special treatment. He bopped him on the head for good measure before leaving the office. For some reason, the boy seemed unaffected by his actions and now placed him on a pedestal by calling him boss.

"So boss, I bet you know a lot of cool high-level jutsus huh?" Konohamaru nudged him. "Do you mind teaching me some?"

"Look Konohamaru, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm kind of in a hurry." Naruto said.

It wasn't a lie. He really was in a bit of a rush because his date with Hinata was only two hours from now and he didn't want to be a minute late. He needed to get a shower and a new fresh set of clothes before heading over to Ichirakus to pick up their food. He requested Teuchi-san to whip them up something for their picnic and the cook was happy to oblige.

Naruto smiled a bit as he reminded himself of that fact. He managed to ask Hinata out on a date!

At first, he was really nervous and his palms got clammy as he found her outside of the academy waiting for him. He figured that it was the best time to ask her because team placement wasn't until Monday so they had the entire weekend to themselves. He kind of just blurted it out but was elated when she accepted.

Now they were to meet at training ground seventeen at three o'clock this afternoon.

Unfortunately, he might be a little late.

"Come on boss!" Konohamaru insisted. "I'm a fast learner and Ebisu-sensei could probably help me master it."

Konohamaru ran ahead of him and stood to block his path with his arms crossed. The look of determination told Naruto that the boy wasn't going to leave him alone until he agreed. He can say this for the kid, he was stubborn and he respected that.

Naruto sighed. "You're going to keep following me around until I say yes, aren't you?"

The boy nodded.

"Alright, fine." Naruto said but held up a finger to stop the little boy from celebrating just yet. "But first, tell me why you're so eager to do this."

Konohamaru's wide smile slowly faded as he saw the serious gaze directed on him. The younger boy turned his gaze toward the ground and mumbled something inaudible.

"Could you speak a little louder?" Naruto prompted.

The Sarutobi clenched his fists in frustration and just blurted it out. "It's because people don't see me, okay? When they see me walking past them, they can only see the 'Honorable grandson of the hokage' and not Konohamaru. I'm nothing but a shadow of my grandfather and I want to change that by surpassing him someday! Then I'll become the greatest hokage this village has ever seen!"

He accentuated his statement by pointing at the great Hokage monument. Naruto could almost see the fire burning inside of the kid's eyes: A fire that would be later fueled by an unyielding spirit. The blonde turned his attention to the fourth's giant stone head for a moment before turning back to Konohamaru.

Naruto grinned and nodded. "Good answer. Alright, I'll show you one jutsu and give you some tips but that's it."

"Awesome!" Konohamaru pumped his fists and followed one step behind the blonde as he lead them some place they could use.

"And just so you know," Naruto spoke. "Becoming hokage isn't that simple."

"Why's that?" Konohamaru asked curiously as he stared up at the smirking blonde.

The older boy pointed his thumb at himself. "Because you have to beat me first before you can even think about surpassing your grandpa. I'm going to be hokage too and I'll be damned if I let a snot-nosed brat like you get there before I can."

Konohamaru frowned at him and boldly stated. "Fine, from this point on we're rivals!"

Naruto chuckled. "Okay then, I'll race you to training ground twenty eight. If I win, then you can find somebody else to teach you some other jutsu."

"That's not fair!" Konohamaru protested.

"Is my newly acclaimed rival scared to lose?" Naruto said. "How about this, I'll give you a minute head start. Ready? On your mark, get set, and go!"

The blonde watched as the little boy shot off and rounded a corner. He smiled in spite of himself. Partly because Konohamaru was obviously headed in the wrong way and had no idea that the place he mentioned was in the other direction, mostly because he admired the kid's determination and eagerness.

Naruto sighed and followed the young Sarutobi as he took to the rooftops.

* * *

"_W-what are you trying to say father?" Hinata refused to believe what she just heard. Her eyes were misty and she held back the tears that were threatening to spill._

_Hiashi drew a deep breath and chose his next words carefully. "You heard me right Hinata. The elders will not tolerate anything more than friendship between you and Naruto. It seems that they are adamant to find you a suitor to their liking when you become of age. I may be the clan head but they hold as much power as I do in regards to our family."_

_Hiashi paused for a moment. Hinata's lower lip trembled and the tears escaped her._

"_We Hyugas have been a pure bloodline since the beginning. No one has ever married an outsider of our clan. I was lucky enough to have met your mother who was an amazing woman and before I knew it, I fell for her. I was very fortunate to be able to marry for love. Others inside our clan are not given that privilege."_

_Hinata couldn't take it anymore and she sobbed quietly. Being reminded of her mother was still too painful for her. She knew where her father was headed with this and at least he was being nice and considerate for a change. He probably wanted to break the news to her in the gentlest way possible._

_Of course she already knew about the clan's laws since they were drilled into her head when she was younger._

"_If a Hyuga were to have a relationship with someone outside our clan, we are bound to take precautions and ensure our bloodline is kept safe. Anyone who does so will be placed with the Caged Bird Seal to make sure that no one can steal our Byakugan. As a father, I cannot and will not let them place that abomination on any of my daughters."_

_Her father stood to leave and his expression softened. He placed a comforting hand on his daughter's shoulder and the teary eyed Hyuga looked up to meet her father's gaze._

"_Naruto is a great and wonderful person." Hiashi admitted. "For a while, I also thought that he was nothing more than a loudmouthed fool who spoke nonsense and should be ignored most of the time. I can honestly say that I was mistaken. I'm grateful that you met him. I fear though, things will not work out for the two of you in the future and you shall only find pain if you continue to pursue him." _

"_Why?" Hinata sobbed. It was like fate was intentionally mocking her. The boy she liked finally gave her an opportunity to take their friendship and turn it into something greater. Now all of a sudden the hope of ever having a future with Naruto as more than friends was falling apart and it hurt just by thinking about it._

"_I am so sorry, Hinata." Was all Hiashi could say before he left the room._

_As soon as Hiashi closed the door behind him, he could hear his daughter's quiet sobs and he was powerless to do anything about it._

* * *

Hinata was a nervous wreck. She had tried her best to set aside her recent conversation with her father and focus on happier thoughts but failed miserably. The memory was still fresh in her mind and it made her more depressed. Right now, she didn't know if she was excited to see her friend or dreading the moment when he showed up.

She kept fiddling with her skirt as she waited. Naruto wasn't technically late since she arrived thirty minutes early. She hoped that she was dressed attractive enough: She wore a plain lavender colored top and a white skirt that fell just below her knees. A small crescent moon necklace hung around her neck.

Hinata wasn't much for jewelry but it was a gift from Naruto. The blonde gave it to her during her last birthday. He told her that it reminded him of her eyes which were the same color as the moon. He didn't tell her the price of the necklace but she could tell that it was worth a lot. Now, she rarely goes anywhere without it.

"Hinata-chan!" a familiar and cheerful voice called out. She turned toward the source and thought that her heart would burst from her chest.

Naruto walked toward her with a wide smile and a picnic basket in hand. He wore a pair of green shorts and a loose orange shirt. His golden blonde hair seemed even brighter in the afternoon sunlight. He looked so happy and excited and Hinata could already feel her worries and anxiousness starting to fade like a bad dream. She couldn't help but wonder if he had the ability to make people feel good about them selves just by being in the same room or maybe it was just her.

Hinata desperately wanted to wrap her arms around him in the hope that she might be able to forget the depressing thoughts circulating throughout her head at the moment, but she restrained herself.

"I hope that I didn't keep you waiting too long." Naruto apologized. "I kind of met the hokage's grandson and well, long story short, he'll still be trying to figure out how to stick that leaf on his forehead with only using his chakra."

The pale-eyed heiress smiled in response. "It's okay Naruto-kun. You're actually on time."

"Of course, I didn't want to be late for our date after all." Naruto said. They both found themselves blushing at that reminder.

"Shall we go?" the blonde offered the girl his free arm and she wrapped her own ones around it. The pair then began to make their way through the village arm in arm.

While they walked, Naruto recounted his encounter with Konohamaru earlier while she listened and giggled at some points of the story.

"Trouble has a penchant for finding you wherever you go, Naruto-kun." Hinata noted.

The blonde smiled sheepishly. "It kind of does, doesn't it? I could care less though because I know that you'll always be right next to me."

Pain shot through her heart as she heard him say that. He said it with good intentions though, so it wasn't his fault but the reminder of a future without him was still eating her alive. It was difficult but she managed to smile and nod before clinging to his arm tighter.

As the pair made their way through the village, Hinata began to notice the glares sent toward their way. People didn't know whether to smile politely at the Hyuga heiress or send dirty looks toward the blonde jinchuuriki. She had lost all respect for the villagers since that incident a few years ago when Naruto was nearly beaten to death.

How can they overlook someone who should be hailed as a hero everyday and see nothing but the demon he contained? Naruto was protecting the village ever since he was born and yet the people he protects scorn and hate him. He wasn't the monster but was more like the scroll in which the kunai is sealed within.

Soon, they reached a deserted part of the village and the two of them were alone facing the Eastern wall of the village.

"Naruto-kun, what are we doing here?" Hinata asked curiously.

Naruto gave her a sly grin as he faced her. "That's a secret Hinata-chan. I'm about to take you somewhere very special but I need you to close your eyes until we get there. And please don't use your Byakugan to cheat or else the surprise is ruined."

She didn't have any idea about the place he was referring to but she was guessing that they were going outside the village.

"Is it safe?" Hinata asked.

A confident nod came from Naruto and he gestured for her to cover her eyes. She did so and then she couldn't resist a sudden squeal from escaping her as she felt him pick her up in a bridal carry.

"Don't worry, I've got you." Naruto said softly.

It was those words and the person who said it that made her relax and trust him completely. She felt him pass through a tight and enclosed space before she felt the wind through her hair as Naruto dashed from tree to tree. In that moment, she didn't care about anything that was taking place around her or the fact that her eyes were shut. All that mattered to her was that she was in his arms and she had him all to herself for the rest of the day.

* * *

"We're almost there Hinata-chan." Naruto assured her as he covered her eyes from behind. He hoped that she would like his surprise for their first date.

Naruto stopped and deemed the spot worthy for the unveiling.

"Alright, you can look now."

Hinata opened her eyes as soon as he uncovered them. She gasped. "Oh, wow."

The pair was currently standing in the most beautiful flower filled meadow Hinata has ever seen. Everywhere she turned she saw a seemingly endless field of colorful plant-life. A soft breeze blew past her and she was met with dozens of sweet aromas of the flowers. To her left, she could spot a lake a good distance from where she was next to a small town. The sky was clear and only a few puffy clouds could be seen. Breathtaking would be the accurate description for this place.

The girl turned around to see Naruto standing next to a spread picnic blanket with their food ready.

"I hope you don't mind but I had a clone fix our dinner for us while your eyes were covered." Naruto said. He stood beside her and wrapped his hand around her own. "So, what do you think?"

"It's beautiful, Naruto-kun." Hinata breathed.

Naruto smiled at her. "I'm glad you like it. I found this place by accident. A couple of weeks ago, I was practicing with my father's jutsu for the first time and kind of screwed up with the formula. Instead of teleporting a few inches in front of me, I ended up slamming face-first into a tree. I stumbled around the forest for a few moments before I ended up here."

Hinata giggled before undertaking a scolding tone. "You should be more careful Naruto-kun. Experimenting with high-level ninjutsu could lead to chakra depletion or worse. I don't know what I would do if…"

Her eyes moistened a bit and Naruto squeezed her hand to give her an anchor. "I promise."

Naruto leaned down so that his forehead was touching hers. "And I don't ever break my promises, Hinata-chan."

"I know." She whispered back.

They stood like that for what felt like forever until they pulled away.

"Hey, almost forgot, our food's getting cold!" Naruto then pulled the pale-eyed girl toward the blanket where a small array of food was prepared. They sat beside each other and made themselves comfortable on the ground.

"Mm, it's delicious Naruto-kun." Hinata said as she took another bite out of her dumpling. A bizarre thought struck her. "Did you cook this?"

"Would you believe me if I said I did?"

Her answer was blunt and frank. "No."

Naruto pouted and cried anime tears. "So mean…"

"You're good at a lot of things Naruto but sadly you can't cook to save your life." Hinata said as a-matter-of-factly.

The blonde hung his head. "Hinata-chan, so mean…"

The Hyuga heiress had to smile at this. Naruto often teased her about stuff but no malice was found in his words and always good-natured jokes. After a while, she managed to muster the confidence to tease him back and found it amusing to see him at the butt of her jokes for once. Maybe her friend was rubbing off on her.

"Alright, I asked Teuchi-san to cook us some food, okay?" Naruto pouted. "Wait, if you think that my cooking skills are bad, then what happened to the bentos I tried to make for our lunch at the academy?"

Hinata visibly shuddered at the memory. "Naruto-kun, the fish was burnt and I think you used too much salt."

"It tasted fine to me." Naruto mumbled.

The girl patted his cheek reassuringly. "Maybe you should leave the art of cuisine to the professionals like me and Teuchi-san, okay?"

"That's it, you just crossed a line." Naruto stated. "You must be punished!"

The blonde then began tickling her and she erupted in a fit of giggles and laughs.

"No, stop it!" Hinata protested but then burst into another fit of giggles.

She managed to break free and she ran away from him. "Catch me if you can!"

"Hey, get back here!" Naruto sprinted after her. Huge smiles plastered on their faces.

They were both laughing as they ran around the fields of flowers with Naruto trying to catch Hinata. This was a rare opportunity for them to just be themselves without anyone to interrupt. They weren't the Hyuga heiress and the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki at the moment. Now, they were just two friends chasing each other on their very first date.

"I've gotcha!" Naruto exclaimed as he managed to wrap her arms around Hinata and twirl her around the air. The girl squealed in delight as he spun her around and gently set her back down.

But then, Naruto lost his balance and he ended up falling to the ground, pulling her along with him. Fortunately, she landed on top of him and the grassy patch of ground lessened the force of impact. The two ended up laughing again.

Hinata's laughter faded and a light blush adorned her cheeks as she realized the position they were in. She could feel his heart beating inside his chest and the warmth he radiated. The blonde's laughter subsided and their eyes locked onto each other, the blue finding the white. Their faces were only inches apart and she felt his breath on her face.

It was times like these when she could see that once again, Naruto was easily the most handsome boy she had ever met.

It would be so easy just to lean in and press her lips on his. It would be so simple to just kiss him right then and there. To experience her first kiss from the boy she liked as more than a friend. All she had to do was lean in…

…but she couldn't.

She couldn't do that to him. What kind of person would she be if she gave him the illusion that they could be together and then telling him that in reality, they could never be? Naruto never had anyone to love him this way before. Therefore it would only be too cruel if she allowed their relationship to go beyond being friends. It broke her heart to think they can never be together but she knew that she would rather stay friends with him than seeing him heartbroken.

She pushed herself off his chest and settled into a sitting position.

Naruto sat up and looked perplexed as Hinata's face suddenly became slightly depressed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Naruto asked.

Hinata managed to force a smile. "It's nothing, Naruto-kun. I was just...thinking about something."

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't nothing. Hinata couldn't seem to meet his eyes all of a sudden.

She didn't elaborate and he was really starting to worry. "Hinata-chan?"

"It's getting late, maybe we should head back." The pale-eyed girl said and she stood to prepare for the journey back home.

* * *

The whole trip back was travelled in silence as Naruto kept casting a worried glanced down at the girl in his arms. The entire time he was thinking what he might have done to upset her or how he could get her to open up. She still couldn't look at him.

Suddenly, his ninja training began to kick in as he remembered his father's advice.

_You need to get a view of the bigger picture to know the full extent of the situation._

His mind began working furiously. Obviously, he was part of the reason her mood switched from giggling and joyful to sullen and withdrawn. It also had something to do with their date. Throughout their entire meal, he would often catch her staring of into space for a moment.

Maybe it was a family incident? Did she and her father get into an argument or something?

Then, his mind began calculating other possibilities. Her family was involved somehow but he couldn't think of the reason why. They've been on good terms with each other lately. Hinata and her sister were closer now and her father was beginning to acknowledge her prowess. So far, things have been going smoothly for Hinata and the Hyuga clan. If that was the case, what happened?

Suddenly, the list of village and clan laws sprung up in his line of thoughts. He had practically memorized every bit of it along with the rest of his father's books and journals. That was when it all seemed to click.

Naruto stumbled slightly on a tree branch as it hit him.

Hinata's sudden change of attitude, their date, him, and her family seemed to arrange into a complete puzzle.

Now that he thought about it, the more it made sense. The Hyuga's are known to be very protective of their bloodline ability and was no surprise that they practiced marriage in within only their clan. If he guessed right, then her father must have told her this and now she doesn't want to give either of them any false hope of their relationship escalating into something more.

He was saddened by this fact but his admiration for Hinata grew ten-fold. It must have taken an immense amount of courage and resolve to do what she did. He smiled in spite of himself.

They arrived at the village just as the sun set below the horizon.

"Thank you for the date, Naruto-kun." Hinata said. "I had a great time."

"Me too,"

The pale-eyed girl turned to leave but Naruto's voice stopped her. "Hinata-chan, wait."

She turned back around and what Naruto did next surprised both of them. The blonde walked up to her and gently pressed his lips on hers.

It was a gentle kiss, with both of them feeling the butterflies fluttering wildly around their stomachs. It felt like an eternity and neither one of them wanted the contact to end. Naruto was amazed by how soft her lips felt pressed on his.

They pulled apart and rested their foreheads on top of each other.

"I know." Naruto said softly.

Hinata nodded and whispered back. "I feel like my heart is breaking into pieces but we both know that this is the right thing."

Naruto agreed. "I'm sorry if I made things worse with what I did but I just had to. I wanted you to be my first."

"I'm glad you did." Hinata replied.

Nothing else needed to be said as the two leaned in for another kiss. They both knew that they won't be able to do this again for a long time and they both wanted it to last for a lifetime. Neither one wanted it to end.

* * *

**Whew, finally finished. I hope you guys are satisfied with this plot I came up with. I got a suggestion that said maybe I shouldn't make Naruto and Hinata a pairing too fast. I had to agree since they are just twelve. So technically, they aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. BUT don't worry because this is still a NaruHina pairing story so of course there will be fluffy moments between the two. Keep reading because I'm going to make the next few chapters action packed. Next time: Team Seven! Again I would appreciate your reviews of this story. **


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